Cannoli Siciliani
Fried pastry tubes with sheep’s ricotta cream
Sicilian cannoli with thin fried shells, drained sheep’s ricotta, chocolate and candied orange, filled just before serving.
Plus 8 hrs 30 min for draining ricotta and resting pastry; included in the total time below.
Sicily
The regional version.
Sicilian fried cannoli with sheep’s ricotta and chocolate; cocoa in the shell is optional.
- Thin shells are fried around tubes to create their blistered surface.
- The filling uses drained sheep’s ricotta rather than pastry cream.
- Shells are filled at serving time to preserve their crispness.
Technique: fried pastry tubes with sheep’s ricotta cream
Metal tubes and a thermometer make the frying manageable. Wet ricotta softens shells rapidly; drain it well and do not whip it in a blender.
The recipe
Cannoli Siciliani
Includes 8 hrs 30 min for draining ricotta and resting pastry.
Ingredients
Shells
Filling
Finish
Frying
Method
- 1
Drain ricotta in a sieve in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Mix flour, sugar and optional cocoa, rubbing in lard.
- 2
Add egg and Marsala and knead to a firm dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then roll very thin, about 1 mm.
- 3
Cut 10 cm ovals, wrap around metal cannoli tubes and seal overlapping edges with a small dab of egg white.
- 4
Fry in batches at 175°C until blistered and crisp, about 2–3 minutes. Cool enough to handle before gently sliding off the tubes.
- 5
Sieve drained ricotta, stir in caster sugar and fold in chocolate. Keep the filling chilled until serving.
- 6
Pipe cream into cooled shells just before eating. Decorate ends with orange peel and pistachios and dust lightly with icing sugar.
The version on this page
Sicilian fried cannoli with sheep’s ricotta and chocolate; cocoa in the shell is optional.
- Thin shells are fried around tubes to create their blistered surface.
- The filling uses drained sheep’s ricotta rather than pastry cream.
- Shells are filled at serving time to preserve their crispness.
Cooking it well
Metal tubes and a thermometer make the frying manageable. Wet ricotta softens shells rapidly; drain it well and do not whip it in a blender.
Serving and planning
This batch makes about 12 cannoli. Store shells and cream separately and assemble only those you intend to serve.
Allow 510 additional minutes for draining ricotta and resting pastry. This is included in the total recipe time, alongside active preparation and cooking.
Explore the Sicilian cooking guide for related dishes and pantry notes.
Storage
Keep ricotta cream refrigerated and use within 2 days. Store unfilled, cooled shells airtight in a dry place for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Freezing assembled cannoli spoils the crisp shell; prepare the components separately instead.
Reheating
Do not reheat filled cannoli. Fill cooled shells with chilled cream just before serving.
Keep cooking
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