Cannoli
MAKES ABOUT 24 PASTRIES BAKERIES ALL OVER SICILY MAKE CANNOLI, thin, crisp, tube-shaped pastry shells fi lled with sweetened sheep’s-milk ricotta mixed with fi nely chopped candied citron or orange peel or with mini chocolate chips, or both, and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Cannoli have been made for centuries, and although they are decidedly Italian, various invading armies, particularly the Arabs, all had their infl uence on the cuisine of the area. Ricotta cheese may well owe its prominence in Italian cooking to the Arabs.
These are the cannoli that are made every Christmas by Rosanna Aiuppa and her cousin Rose Padula. Because Rosanna and her Sicilian-American friends make many of the classic sweet Italian treats only once a year, she fi nds the recipes may change from year to year, as they are only sketched out and various additions or changes are not written down. This makes for some very lively and amusing discussions, but ultimately everything turns out “just like mamma made.” Rosanna likes to use pastry ricotta, made with cow’s milk, which is drier than regular store-bought ricotta; she buys it at her local Italian deli in Albany, New York. Polly-O sells it as impastata ricotta; it is also called dry ricotta or ravioli ricotta. If you can’t find it, drain supermarket ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined strainer overnight in the refrigerator, or make your own ricotta (see page 334); drain it first, then measure out what you need. Ricotta fresca, fresh ricotta in plastic drainage baskets, is also a good choice. I’ve found Cantare brand to be excellent. You will need a pasta machine to roll out the dough, cannoli tubes, and a pastry bag and plain tip with a ½-inch opening. In Sicily, many bakeries fill cannoli shells only when an order is placed, because they lose their crispness on standing, and I recommend you do the same. You can make both the filling and the shells a day ahead, but once filled, cannoli should be eaten as soon as possible. See the companion DVD for a video demonstration of cannoli making.
DOUGH 1¹/³ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or lard 6 to 7 tablespoons sweet Marsala or sweet vermouth Vegetable oil for deep-frying 1 to 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (optional)
FILLING 3 cups impastata ricotta (dry ricotta, also called pastry or ravioli ricotta) or 3 cups drained Homemade Ricotta (page 334) or whole-milk ricotta 1¹/³ to 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract ¹/³ cup finely diced candied citron or candied orange peel, or a combination ¹/³ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips Finely chopped unsalted pistachios (optional) Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
To make the dough with a food processor, put the flour, salt, sugar, and cocoa into the work bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade, and process for 10 seconds. Add the shortening or lard and process for 10 seconds. With the machine running, gradually add 6 tablespoons of the Marsala or vermouth. Process for 1 full minute, or until most of the dough gathers into a ball, with a few small bits spinning around the sides of the work bowl; if necessary, gradually add some or all of the remaining 1 tablespoon of Marsala or vermouth. Transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will firm up and may tear a bit as you work it, but that is all right. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
To make the dough with a stand mixer, put the flour, salt, sugar, and cocoa into the mixer bowl and stir to combine well. Add the vegetable shortening or lard, attach the flat beater, and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture resembles fi ne crumbs. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 6 tablespoons of the Marsala or vermouth, mixing to make a dough that is as stiff as pasta dough; if the dough doesn’t gather into a mass, gradually add some or all of the remaining 1 tablespoon Marsala or vermouth. Transfer the dough to an unfl oured work surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.
TO ROLL AND CUT the dough, cut out a 4½-inch paper or cardboard oval, using the template at right. Divide the dough into quarters. Keep 3 pieces wrapped in plastic wrap while you work with the remaining piece. With a pasta machine set at its widest opening, pass the dough through the pasta rollers. If the dough is sticky, lightly flour it. Fold the dough in thirds and pass it through the widest setting again, starting with an open end. Repeat the rolling and folding several times more to knead the dough, then gradually decrease the setting, passing the dough once through each thinner setting until you reach the next-to last one. Lay the strip of dough on your work surface. If it is sticky, lightly flour the dough on both sides and brush off the excess fl our with a pastry brush. Set the template on one end of the dough strip and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut out an oval. Set the oval aside on your work surface and repeat; do not overlap the ovals. Roll and cut the remaining dough, and cover the ovals with plastic wrap until needed.
POUR 3 INCHES OF OIL into a large heavy pot and clamp a deepfat thermometer to the side of the pot, or use a digital probe thermometer. Heat the oil over medium heat to between 350° and 360°F.
WHILE THE OIL HEATS, shape the cannoli shells. Wrap an oval of dough around an ungreased cannoli mold. Moisten one edge of the dough with water or lightly beaten egg white, overlap the other edge, and press gently to seal. Set on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Repeat to shape as many cannoli as you have molds. Line another large baking sheet with several thicknesses of paper towels. TO COOK THE CANNOLI SHELLS, slip 2 or 3 dough-wrapped
tubes into the hot oil. When you place the tubes in the oil, they will sink. After a second or two, move them around with tongs, grasping the uncovered tube ends. You’ll see that the dough has developed dozens of small blisters all over the surface, which is as it should be. After 1 minute or so in the oil, use the tongs to lift a tube out of the oil and gently shake the tube to release the cannoli shell back into the oil. If it is resistant, gently grasp the pastry with a pot holder or a wad of paper towels and twist to release it, then put it back into the hot oil. Set the metal tube aside on a heatproof surface to cool. (Be careful, the tube will be very hot.) Repeat with the other fried cannoli shells and continue cooking, moving them around with a fork, until the shells are golden brown, a total of 1½ to 2 minutes. Lift each one out of the oil with tongs or with the tines of a meat fork, letting the oil drain back into the pot, and stand on end on the paper-lined pan to drain. Cool completely before using. Wash cooled cannoli tubes thoroughly in hot soapy water, and dry fully before reusing. Cook the remaining cannoli in batches, shaping more cannoli shells as soon as the metal tubes are cool. Be sure to return the oil to between 350° and 360°F between batches. (Once completely cool, the cannoli shells can be stored airtight at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.)
To make the filling with a food processor, combine the ricotta, 1¹/³ cups of the confectioners’ sugar, and the vanilla in the work bowl of the processor fi tted with the metal blade, and process for 2 minutes, or until very smooth. Stop to scrape the sides of the work bowl 2 or 3 times. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Transfer the fi lling to a medium bowl and stir in the citron or orange peel and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate (the filling can be made up to 1 day ahead). To make the fi lling using a stand mixer, beat the ricotta with the fl at beater on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1¹/³ cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla and beat until the filling is very smooth and fluffy. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Stir in the citron or orange peel and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate (the fi lling can be made up to 1 day ahead).
TO FILL THE CANNOLI, fit a large pastry bag with a ½-inch plain tip. Spoon the filling into the bag. Carefully insert the tip of the bag into each cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Repeat on the other end of the shell. Smooth the exposed filling with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle it with pistachios, if using. Dust the cannoli shells with confectioners’ sugar. Serve as soon as possible.
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