Ricotta impastata, a smoother and drier version of ricotta, is typically used for filling cannoli. This recipe comes from cookbook author Nick Malgieri. This recipe appeared in our March 2011 issue as a part of our special feature, Soul of Sicily
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1⁄2 cups flour
- 1⁄4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 5 tbsp. red wine
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- Canola oil, for frying
For the Filling
- 1 lb. ricotta, drained overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer, or ricotta impastata
- 3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- Amarena cherries, halved, to garnish
- Candied orange peel strips, to garnish
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Instructions
Step 1
For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; add butter and rub it into flour with fingers until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add wine and 2 eggs and mix until dough forms. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead until smooth, 6-8 minutes. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 2
Divide dough into quarters; working with one quarter at a time, pass dough through widest setting on pasta roller. Decrease setting by one notch and pass dough through roller; repeat, decreasing width by one level each time, until 1⁄16″ thick. Using a 4″ round cutter, cut out dough and transfer to parchment paper; repeat with remaining dough. Working with one dough circle at a time, wrap dough around a 1″ × 4 3⁄4″ cannoli core, and brush edges with egg white to seal. Repeat with remaining dough; set aside.
Step 3
Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2″ and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Working in batches, fry cannoli until light brown and crisp, 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer cannoli to paper towels to drain; while hot, carefully remove cannoli shell from core and set aside on a wire rack to cool.
Step 4
For the filling: Combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 3⁄4″-wide plain tip. Pipe ricotta mixture into cannoli shells to fill. Garnish each end with a cherry half and orange peel strip.
- For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; add butter and rub it into flour with fingers until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add wine and 2 eggs and mix until dough forms. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead until smooth, 6-8 minutes. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Divide dough into quarters; working with one quarter at a time, pass dough through widest setting on pasta roller. Decrease setting by one notch and pass dough through roller; repeat, decreasing width by one level each time, until 1⁄16″ thick. Using a 4″ round cutter, cut out dough and transfer to parchment paper; repeat with remaining dough. Working with one dough circle at a time, wrap dough around a 1″ × 4 3⁄4″ cannoli core, and brush edges with egg white to seal. Repeat with remaining dough; set aside.
- Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2″ and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Working in batches, fry cannoli until light brown and crisp, 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer cannoli to paper towels to drain; while hot, carefully remove cannoli shell from core and set aside on a wire rack to cool.
- For the filling: Combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 3⁄4″-wide plain tip. Pipe ricotta mixture into cannoli shells to fill. Garnish each end with a cherry half and orange peel strip.
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