Cannoli Siciliana ~ Cannoli are basically crisp, sweet crunchy tubes which are filled with a cream or ricotta cheese filling, often flavored with cocoa, nuts, chocolate, or candied fruits.This is a very traditional recipe for cannoli which are a very popular sweet in Sicily. You will need 3 to 4 metal cannoli tubes to makes these cannoli which are readily available at most kitchen stores. Do not fill the cannoli too far in advance, or they may become soggy.
Shells:
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Or Shortening
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Dash of Salt
3/4 Cup Marsala Wine
1 Egg White
Vegetable Oil For Frying
Filling:
3 Cups Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips, or Coarsely Grated Chocolate
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
6 Tablespoons Mixed Candies Peel
Optional- 6 Glaced Cherries, Finely Chopped
To make the shells, mix together the flour, butter or shortening, sugar, and salt. Begin to add the wine, adding enough so that you have formed a fairly firm dough. Knead for a few minutes until smooth. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for one hour. Cut the dough in half, and roll thinly to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 4 square. Place a metal diagonally across each square, and wrap the dough around the tube. Seal the edges with a little beaten egg white. Heat the oil in a large pan until it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees F. Drop one or two tubes into the hot oil at one time, and cook until golden. Remove from the pan, cool, and gently slide the cannoli shell from the tube. Continue to make the rest of the shells in this manner.
To make the filling, first let the ricotta sit in a strainer over a small bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to remove excess water. Mix the ricotta with the rest of the ingredients. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Fill each cannoli shell carefully, and sprinkle with a little extra powdered sugar if desired. Chill until you are ready to serve.
