My Sicilian recipe site

Frank Selvaggio

DESSERTS

CANNOLI:
(Sicilians are the creators of cannoli)

Shells:
2 cups sifted flour
2 tablespoons shortening or lard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil
Metal tubes (6 x 3/4 inches - should be available in gourmet shops)

Filling:
1 pound ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coursely grated
3 tablespoons chopped citron
"Citron - a fruit likened to an overgrown knobby lemon, it is famed for its peel, which is used in marmalades, candies and fruit cakes."
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons crème de cacao
12 strips candied orange
12 glazed cherries
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, toasted, chopped

Combine flour, shortning, honey, and salt, wetting mixture gradually with Marsala wine. Knead with fingers until dough is firm. Shape into ball; cover with cloth and let stand for 1 hour. Combine ricotta cheese with confectioners' sugar, grated chocolate, citron, cinnamon, and crème de cacao. Refrigerate until ready to use. After 1 hour, cut dough in half and roll into thin sheets 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 4-inch squares. Place metal tubes diagonally across squares. Wrap dough around each tube by overlapping the two opposite points. Seal points with beaten egg, pressing together with fingers. In frying kettle, heat vegetable oil to 370 deg. (1-inch bread cube browns evenly in 1 minute). Drop tubes carefully, a few at a time, into hot oil. Fry on all sides until shells acquire a deep golden brown color. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. When cool enough to handle, gently remove tubes from shells. Set shells aside to cool on absorbent paper. Continue until all shells are fried. Fill pastry bag with cheese filling and pipe filling into ends of shells (or spoon filling into shell ends). Place 1 strip candied orange on one end of shells, a glazed cherry on the other end. Sprinkle both ends with pistachio nuts.

PS: Shells can be stored in air tight containers. I have seen shells for sale in Italian grocery stores for use. You can freeze the finish product.