Italian cannolis are as Italian as spaghetti and meatballs. Well, actually spaghetti came from China and in Italy you would not see spaghetti with meatballs as they are offered in restaurants separately. Also, cannolis are actually a product of Sicily so those "mainland Italians" who don't consider Sicily as real Italians should not take credit for this famous dessert. But since I from Sicilian stock do consider "mainland Italy and Sicily" as both being Italian will not argue about such frivolities. I do know my Sicilian grandmother, my mother and all my Italian aunts and uncles made cannolis for a hundred years that I know of. When I decided to make cannolis for my oldest daughter Maria's wedding, my mother Mary and aunt Rosie helped me with the recipe. The only thing I changed was to use sparkling sweet white wine in the recipe. However, one may use red Italian wine sweet, sparkling or not and this will work fine. I remember my grandmothers wooden tubes (Cannoli means Little Tube In Sicily) which were black from the hundreds of times they were used. I went to the hardware store and bought 1 inch wooden doll rods and cut them into 6 inch pieces. I also used our hand cranked pasta maker to get the dough as thin as possible. The recipe for the dough is very simple as is the filling. I get ill when I see the cannolis in restaurants too thick and with whipped overly sweet filling ( its a crime against Sicily)
In the end we made over 250 cannolis and everyone loved them. One hint is that the first ones out of the oil stuck and had to be thrown away until the wood got seasoned. One also had to remove the shell from the wooden doll rod quickly or they would stick more often then not. One can make the cannoli shells by oneself but it is easier and more fun to have help. ENJOY
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SHELLS:
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt
3 oz of sparkling white sweet wine
4. buy an good electric deep fry pot
. 5.buy a 1" doll rod and gut into 4 inch pieces
which it would be a good idea to boil in oil
at about 375 degrees for about a half hour to
condition the wood
DIRECTIONS: (you need to fill a deep fryer or
lg sauce pot 1/2 high with vegtable oil and heat it to about
375 degrees and hold that heat while your making
the shells.
1. mix the ingredients together into a ball;
if too sticky add a little more flour; if to
stiff add a little more wine but don't overdue
either!
2. put flour on a wooden cutting board and
roll out the dough making sure it doesn't stick
to the board by lifting it up, adding flour to the
borard and rolling a little more.
3.once it is about 1/4 inch, flour both sides and
cut the dough into about 3 inch strips
4. using a handcranked pasta maker start with
the widest opening setting which should be #7
5. put the floured dough in the machine and turn
the handle and after it is through go to the
next setting # 6, you may want to add a little
flour each time you roll it but don't over due
the flour but don't let it stick; and then roll it
through and then go to# 5, roll it through and go
to #4, the roll it and go to #3 and roll it and then
go to #2 and if youcan #1.
6. the dough will be quite thin at this point
7. the dough should then be cut into 3 inch squares
8. you now want to roll it around the cut doll rod at
an angle and moisen the tip and overlap the end
slightly.
9. carefully drop the doll rod into the oil (you may be
able to put about 3 in at a time.
10. the oil should be at a rolling boil and when the shell
is light brown remove with a slotted spoon or similar
and put on brown paper or paper towels for a minute
and when you can handle it roll the shell off the rod.
11. you will be able to make some 2 doz shells with this
recipe.
FILLING:
32 oz of ricotta cheese (fresh from the refriderated case:
this is better than the packaged ricotta which is too wet
and creamy rather than drier. (however if you use the tub
kind; let it drain in a collander a couple of hrs and use)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup tiny chocolate chips or pieces
1/2 cup minced marichino cherries without the juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. mix all ingredients together the night before using and
drain any liquid before you fill the shells
2. fill the shells completely with a teaspoon on both ends
3. you should get 2 doz or so filled canolis
(OPTIONAL)
1/2 cup smashed pastaschios to dip the ends in after filling
In the end we made over 250 cannolis and everyone loved them. One hint is that the first ones out of the oil stuck and had to be thrown away until the wood got seasoned. One also had to remove the shell from the wooden doll rod quickly or they would stick more often then not. One can make the cannoli shells by oneself but it is easier and more fun to have help. ENJOY
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SHELLS:
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt
3 oz of sparkling white sweet wine
4. buy an good electric deep fry pot
. 5.buy a 1" doll rod and gut into 4 inch pieces
which it would be a good idea to boil in oil
at about 375 degrees for about a half hour to
condition the wood
DIRECTIONS: (you need to fill a deep fryer or
lg sauce pot 1/2 high with vegtable oil and heat it to about
375 degrees and hold that heat while your making
the shells.
1. mix the ingredients together into a ball;
if too sticky add a little more flour; if to
stiff add a little more wine but don't overdue
either!
2. put flour on a wooden cutting board and
roll out the dough making sure it doesn't stick
to the board by lifting it up, adding flour to the
borard and rolling a little more.
3.once it is about 1/4 inch, flour both sides and
cut the dough into about 3 inch strips
4. using a handcranked pasta maker start with
the widest opening setting which should be #7
5. put the floured dough in the machine and turn
the handle and after it is through go to the
next setting # 6, you may want to add a little
flour each time you roll it but don't over due
the flour but don't let it stick; and then roll it
through and then go to# 5, roll it through and go
to #4, the roll it and go to #3 and roll it and then
go to #2 and if youcan #1.
6. the dough will be quite thin at this point
7. the dough should then be cut into 3 inch squares
8. you now want to roll it around the cut doll rod at
an angle and moisen the tip and overlap the end
slightly.
9. carefully drop the doll rod into the oil (you may be
able to put about 3 in at a time.
10. the oil should be at a rolling boil and when the shell
is light brown remove with a slotted spoon or similar
and put on brown paper or paper towels for a minute
and when you can handle it roll the shell off the rod.
11. you will be able to make some 2 doz shells with this
recipe.
FILLING:
32 oz of ricotta cheese (fresh from the refriderated case:
this is better than the packaged ricotta which is too wet
and creamy rather than drier. (however if you use the tub
kind; let it drain in a collander a couple of hrs and use)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup tiny chocolate chips or pieces
1/2 cup minced marichino cherries without the juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. mix all ingredients together the night before using and
drain any liquid before you fill the shells
2. fill the shells completely with a teaspoon on both ends
3. you should get 2 doz or so filled canolis
(OPTIONAL)
1/2 cup smashed pastaschios to dip the ends in after filling
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