I love Italian food, which may make it seem even stranger when I tell you that until last week, I’d never had a cannoli. But last week we went to Roma di Italia, a delicious Italian restaurant in Tustin, California. The food was exquisite. The dessert was, well, let’s just say I’ve been craving it ever since.
The cannoli they served to us was huge. My husband and I easily shared it. It was crispy where it should be crispy and cold and sweet where it should be cold and sweet. The flavor was out of this world.
To make cannoli at home, you’ll need cannoli tubes. You can buy them online or at any food supply store.
Ingredients:
Cannoli Shells
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup port wine
1 egg slightly beaten
oil for frying
Filling
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp amaretto (optional-may substitute 1TB vanilla)
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel (yellow only)
2 tbsp blanched almonds finely chopped
dash of cinnamon
finely chopped semisweet chocolate (about 1/4 cup)
Directions:
Shells
Sift flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add port wine and blend with pastry blender or fork. Knead about 15 minutes until smooth and stiff. Put in the refrigerator, covered for about 2 hours. Roll out one third of the dough until very thin. Cut into 5-inch circles (pancakes). Wrap (each) cannoli tubes with the pancake (one circle) and seal with egg. Cook the pancake on the tube in the oil (about 3/4 inch deep) until golden brown. Drain on paper. Remove the tubes carefully.
Filling
Mix ingredients together and pipe into the shells. Sprinkle the shells with powdered (confectioner’s sugar). You may also roll or dip the ends in shaved chocolate or chopped nuts.