Sicilian Cannoli

Name: Sicilian Cannoli
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: For the shells: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp salt; 3 tbsp cold butter; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup dry Marsala or white wine; 1 egg white, for sealing; vegetable oil, for frying; For the filling: 2 lb whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight; 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, plus more to dust; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp finely grated orange zest; 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips; To finish: chopped pistachios, more mini chocolate chips, candied orange peel

Crisp, blistered fried pastry shells piped with sweetened, orange-scented ricotta cream and dipped in chopped pistachios, chocolate chips or candied orange. Fill them right before serving so they stay crunchy.

Prep1 hr

Cook15 min

Total1 hr 15 min

Serves16

What you'll need

Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovenFor soups, stews and braises

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Mixing bowl setFor mixing and marinating

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Instant-read thermometerFor knowing when meat is done

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Ingredients

For the shells: 2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cold butter

1 large egg

1/2 cup dry Marsala or white wine

1 egg white, for sealing

vegetable oil, for frying

For the filling: 2 lb whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, plus more to dust

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

To finish: chopped pistachios, more mini chocolate chips, candied orange peel

Steps

For the filling, press the drained ricotta through a fine sieve, then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla and zest. Fold in the chocolate chips and chill.

For the shells, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt, rub in the butter, then add the egg and Marsala and knead into a firm, smooth dough. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.

Roll the dough very thin (about 1/16 inch) and cut into 4-inch circles. Wrap each around a cannoli tube, sealing the overlap with egg white.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 360°F. Fry the shells a few at a time until blistered and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, cool slightly and slide off the tubes.

When completely cool, pipe the filling into each shell from both ends.

Dip the ends in pistachios, chocolate chips or candied orange, dust with powdered sugar and serve within an hour.

TipDraining the ricotta overnight in a cheesecloth-lined sieve is what keeps the filling thick enough to pipe and the shells from going soggy.