ITALI AN CANNOLI
Cannelloni pasta shells make excellent cannoli molds.
YOU WILL NEED :
DOUGH
- 3 cups plain flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 1/4 cup marsala
- 1/3 cup water, approximately
- 1 egg white
- oil for deep-frying
FILLING
- 2kg ricotta cheese
- 3 cups pure icing sugar
- 12 x 5cm pieces cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
- 1/2 cup mixed peel
- pure icing sugar, extra
- 125g dark chocolate, coarsely grated.
ITALI N CANNOLI RECIPE:
DOUGH - Sift 1 cup of the flour into a bowl, and rub in egg yolks until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add remaining sifted flour, eggs, rind, marsala, and enough water to mix to a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
Cut dough into four pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle on a floured surface to paper thinness. ( This is important; if the dough is too thick, it will not be crisp, with the characteristic " bubbles ", when deep-fried. ) If you have a pasta machine, roll the dough through three times, adjusting the machine to roll the dough thinner each time. Measure the length of the pasta shells, then cut the dough into strips about 5mm narrower than the shells. Put shell at one end of dough; roll dough round, then cut so about 1cm of the dough overlaps. Brush the cut end with egg white, and press firmly into position. Do not brush egg white on the pasta shell or it will stick to the dough and be difficult to remove.
Deep-fry cannoli, about four at a time, over medium heat for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Remove cannoli from oil, place in absorbent paper, and stand for 1 minute. Then using a teatowel, ( pasta shells will be hot ! ) carefully remove pasta shells from inside cannoli shapes. Cool cannoli completely; they become crisp when cold.
FILLING
Place cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer, add sifted icing sugar and beat for about 5 minutes or until cheese is smoother. Blend cinnamon sticks until powdery; you will need 1 cup of ground cinnamon. Add lemon rind, mixed peel, and cinnamon to cheese, and beat until combined. Spoon filling into a large piping bag fitted with a plain tube, and pipe into cannoli shells. Roll shells in extra sifted icing sugar. dip ends in chocolate.
Makes about 48.
Also Read: ITALIAN COCONUT BISCUITS