RICOTTA AND CANNOLI 

It is the most typical Sicilian dessert: so much so that when you think of Sicily the first thing that comes to mind of its gastronomy is the cannolo. It was once the crowning achievement of the carnival lunch, and was the prerogative of wealthier families. The Palermo priest Don Stefano Beneficiale Melchiorre in a poem in the vernacular, published in 1865, dedicated to this supreme sweet an octave in rhyme in which - even - compares the cannoli to the scepter of every king or to the pastoral rod of Moses. 

The preparation of the ricotta filling undergoes variations according to the areas of Sicily where the cannoli are prepared. For example: in western Sicily (Palermo, Trapani and its hinterland) sheep's milk ricotta is used more, while in the eastern one there is a prevalence of cow's ricotta. Generally, ricotta is processed with sugar and other aromas, such as drops of orange extract or wildflowers; The candied fruit and orange peel are a must, as well as the chocolate chips while the chopped pistachio, on the other hand, is put in garnish of the faces of the cannolo, or the two ends. 

To make cannoli, of course, it is important to have the appropriate torches on which to wrap the dough. Once these torches were made with rods, now you can find them in household stores made of metal. What follows is the preparation of cannoli as my mother used to do them. 

Sicilian Cannoli are typical sweets of Sicilian pastry now known all over the world. They are crunchy shells that are traditionally filled with a sweet cream of ricotta and sugar. There are many variations: with candied fruit, with chocolate chips, and with chopped pistachio. Making good Sicilian cannoli at home is not so difficult. It will only take a little patience during cooking to ensure that the shell does not remain soft but becomes crunchy and crumbly without burning. However, I advise you to fill them with ricotta cream only at the time of serving. In fact, already after a few hours the shell in contact with the ricotta tends to soften.

INGREDIENTS

For the outer pod

500 gr flour 

2 egg yolks

20 gr lard

25 gr pure alcohol

1 glass wine

lard for frying

For the filling

500 gr ricotta

350 gr icing sugar

1 sachet vanilla sugar

candied orange peel

candied cedar peel

chocolate flakes

1/2 glass vermouth

1 - 2 tablespoons orange jam

chopped pistachio

GUIDELINES

 

On the pastry board make the traditional flour fountain in the center of which you will put the 2 egg yolks, lard, red wine and alcohol. Knead everything until you get a fairly consistent dough. Let the dough rest for about half an hour in a dry place covered with a kitchen towel. Then roll out the dough until it reaches a thickness of 2 - 3 millimeters; Then with a cup saucer of coffee cut from the dough of the dough disks with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. Wrap each disc around the appropriate torches. Take care to weld the two strips of dough well to each other. In a saucepan at the high edge melt the lard and as soon as it is hot dip the torches with the dough, taking care that they are completely submerged by hot lard. Fry them until the dough has reached a beautiful golden color and the characteristic bubbles have formed on its surface. Drain on kitchen paper. When they are cold, carefully parade the cannoli from the torches. Work the ricotta with icing sugar, vanilla sugar, orange jam and half a glass of vermuth to soften the cream. If the cream is too pasty, add a little more vermouth, but without exaggerating: if, in fact, the cream is too fluid, it will be difficult to remain inside the cannoli, the excess liquid will wet the dough making it soft and disgusting. After these operations, pass the cream through a sieve to remove any lumps. All this operation can be performed with the mixer, but you have to be very careful to make a cream that is at the same time consistent, but soft and velvety. Add the chopped orange and cedar peels and chocolate chips to the cream. Put the cream in a pastry bag and fill the cannoli; then with the blade of a knife level the two ends garnishing them with chopped pistachio.