Recipe: Cannoli Alla Siciliana (Polly-O)

CANNOLI ALLA SICILIANA

"These are best if they are filled just before you company arrives."

FOR THE SHELLS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp shortening
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup wine (Marsala, Burgundy, or Chablis)
vegetable oil
FOR THE FILLING:
3 cups ricotta
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
1/2 square unsweetened chocolate grated (or 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder) (both optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp chopped citron peel
3 tbsp chopped candied orange peel
6 glace cherries, cut up

To make cannoli shells it is necessary to have 3 or 4 metal tubes/cannoli forms, preferably made from very light tin, about 7-inches long and 1 1/8 inches in diameter. The edges should not be soldered.

TO MAKE THE SHELLS:
Combine flour, shortening, sugar and salt, and wetting gradually with wine, knead together with fingers until rather hard dough or paste is formed. Form into ball, cover with cloth and let stand about 1 hour.

Cut dough in half and roll half of dough into a thin sheet about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 4 inch squares. Place a metal tube diagonally across each square from one point to another, wrapping dough around tube by overlapping the two points and sealing overlapping points with a little egg white.

Meanwhile heat vegetable oil in large deep pan for deep frying. Drop one or two tubes at a time into hot oil. Fry gently until dough is a golden brown color. Remove from pan, let cool and gently remove shell from metal tube. Set shells aside to cool. Repeat procedure until all shells are made.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Mix ricotta thoroughly with sifted dry ingredients. Add vanilla and fruit peel. Mix and blend well. (A little grated pistachio may be added if desired). Chill in refrigerator before filling shells.

Fill cold cannoli shells; smooth filling evenly at each end of shell. Decorate each end with a piece of glace cherry and sprinkle shells with confectioners sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Polly-O Cooking with Cheese Recipe Book