Cannoli With Ricotta Filling
In Angelo’s words
Cannoli are an all time favorite around Christmas and New Years for us. It has been a family tradition for our family since before I was born, and that’s 70 plus years ago. They are simple and fun to make once you get started, it’s the getting started that’s the hang-up. You need the right tools (the form to wrap the dough around for deep frying) that might present a small problem.
I remember my Mother and Grand-mother used to use bamboo forms about 6 inches long. Bamboo was readily available in those days and my Father or Grand-father use to cut new forms every year. They would cut about ½ dozen forms from the most uniform sections they could find in between the section dividers of the bamboo being careful to select pieces about ¾ inch in diameter.
Today you might be able to find them in specialty cooking stores, or even order them on-line. But, if your handy you shouldn’t have a problem making them yourself. The commercial cannoli forms are made out of ¾ inch O.D. aluminum. So if you can’t find them in the store, you can go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy a length of aluminum pipe. You can cut the forms to size with a hacksaw, but I don’t recommend you do that. It leaves the ends very jagged and generally crooked. It you don’t have a tubing cutter, you can buy one in the tools or plumbing section of the same store for a reasonable price – usually way under $10.00. If you don’t want to invest in the cutter, just have an associate cut several sections (6 or so) about 5 inches long.
Now that you have the forms, you made it through the difficult part. Don’t forget to buy some fine emery paper (medium grit) to sand the ends. Wash and dry well and you’re ready to go.
Recipe 1
Making the Shells
Yield: (makes about 3 dozen)
Ingredients
Method
Directions: (for shells)
The next step is very important to ensure a quality Crisp shell. The shells should be uniform in size and a firm crisp consistency and a light golden brown in color when removed from the deep fryer.
- Used in: The (basic) Filling
The shells can be stored for at least 2 weeks and probably longer. I know 2 weeks for sure because we have stored them for that long. We’ve never got past the 2 weeks so your on your own from there. We have bought shells in the generic section of a local super market and they keep them well over 2 weeks. The generic shells are very thick to reduce breakage (I guess), and are no where as good as the home made. They do work in a pinch however, depending on how desperate you are.
Recipe 2
The (basic) Filling
The true Italian filling for cannoli is made with ricotta cheese. Fresh whole milk ricotta is firm and very smooth textured. True Italian Cannoli filling is made only with fresh ricotta. If ricotta is not fresh it starts to get watery. You can use this, it is still good – but you must drain it first by placing it in a cheese cloth or paper towel lined colander or strainer. This usually takes several hours for it to drain, so you might want cover it and place it in the refrigerator over night. But the best bet is to make sure it is fresh. If you are buying the ricotta from the refrigerated section look at the expiration date. If you buy it at the deli’ section you can see the freshness, before you buy it. One pound will generally make 12 to 18 cannoli depending on the size of the shell. Two pounds of ricotta should be more than enough to fill the shells made from this recipe, however – if you don’t intend to use the entire batch of shells at one time don’t purchase the ricotta until you intend to use it. Once you mix it – it will last, refrigerated for several days. Make sure you mix it frequently as it will start to separate and become watery after a few days.
Ingredients
Optional Ingredience
My Grand-mother use to add some chopped candied cherries to the filling. This is good, but I prefer to leave them out. Some non-Italian friends of mine add a ½ pint of whipped (heavy whipping cream), folded into the ricotta mixture. The whipped cream gives it a nice light creamy texture but doesn’t seem to add to the flavor and the unused portion seems to break down quicker, so I don’t use that either. And the last option is to use the chopped or crushed nuts in place of the shredded coconut. We like the coconut around the Christmas holiday to add the color, but the nuts are good too.
Method
- Uses: Making the Shells
Fill the cannoli no sooner than 15 to 30 minutes before serving for best results. This will ensure the shell will remain crispy the closer you fill them to serving time the better.
There are some variations to the original (basic) cannoli filling that you may want to try. I like the old fashioned basic recipe, but some people like the options:
Family notes
None yet. Notes from the family will appear here, signed and dated, and kept apart from Angelo’s words.
From the archive
Restored · 2012 capture- Originally published
- , 4:27 am, on angelobiondo.com by Angelo Biondo (post No. 142)
- Filed under
- Dessert Recipes, Family Favorites
- Restored from
- Internet Archive capture of — view the original page
- Also captured
- Original notice
- © 2008 Angelo Biondo
- Transcription
Angelo’s words are unchanged, spelling included.
- “(makes about 3 dozen)” was printed with the shells heading; it is shown as the yield.
- The paragraph “The next step is very important…” sat among the shell steps; it is shown as a note above the steps that follow it.
- The filling’s “Optional Ingredience” list was printed after the filling directions, under the sentence “There are some variations…”; the list is shown with the filling’s ingredients and that sentence with the filling’s notes.
- The degree sign was typed as a superscript “o” (350o); shown as “°”.
- The byline “By: Angelo Biondo” is not repeated.
- Open questions
Left exactly as published, for the family to confirm.
- Shells: the step “wrap around cannoli form sealing the joined edge with egg white mixture and.” ends mid-sentence.
- Not carried over
- “All Rights Reserved.” and a link to the site’s home page, printed under the copyright line.