Cannolis with Crema di Ricotta

Preparation

Baking Directions:

Cannoli Shells1. Put the flour and sugar into a large bowl.

Make a well in the center, and add the eggs and eihter the melted lard, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil.

Mix together the ingredients, adding enough vinegar, little by little, until you have a very smooth, soft dough.

Knead the dough on a board for a few minutes and work into a ball.

The dough should be soft and elastic.

Let the dough rest, covered, at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.

It can be prepared a day in advance and kept in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Roll the dough into a very thin, large circle.

You can also halve or quarter the dough, and roll each piece out into smaller circles.

Cut the rolled dough into perfect 4-inch circles using the edge of a saucer or can.

Pass the circles of dough through a manual pasta machine once, to make them slightly oval-shaped, or use a rolling pin.

Wrap each piece of dough around a lightly oiled cannoli tube form.

Be sure the 2 shorter sides of the oval overlap at the middle.

Dab a bit of egg white where the dough overlaps and press to secure it well.

We suggest having at least 12 tube forms so that half of the cannolis can be made in advance.

Heat about 3 inches of lard or sunflower or vegetable oil in a deep-sided frying pan until the lard is hot but not smoking.

Fry 2 to 4 shells at a time, turning them with a slotted spoon, and watch them closely, until golden brown all over.

Take care not to let them burn.

This can happen if you look away for just 10 seconds, so don't.

Drain the cooked cannoli on paper towels and immediately remove them from the hot metal tubes.

This is easily done by holding one end of the tube with a pot holder and gently sliding the shell off with a wooden spoon.

If preparing more than 12 shells at a time, allow the hot tubes to cool completely before wrapping more dough around them.

(You do not need to re-oil them).

You can let the shells rest for up to 1 hour before filling them.

If you wish to fill them later or the next day, after they have completely cooled, store them in one or more tin boxes with tight-fitting lids.

Crema di Ricotta1. Mix the well-drained ricotta and sugar together very well and let it rest at room temperature for 8 hours.

Pass the ricotta through a fine setaccio (sieve) into a large bowl.

Do not use a food processor for this purpose, because the ricotta will have the consistency of glue.

We use the bottom of a small, heavy glass jar to press the ricotta through the fine mesh.

Add the vanilla to the strained ricotta and mix together well.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight.

Serving Directions:

To fill a cannoli, spoon a few tablespoonfuls of the Crema di Ricotta (see recipe below) into the shell at each end with a teaspoon.

Smooth the ends with the back of the spoon.

Sprinkle sifter confectioners' sugar over the tops of the filled cannolis and serve at once.

Tips:

NOTE: The recipe can easily be cut in half to make 12 cannolis.