Cannoli

Edit: March 6, 2010

There comes a time in a man’s life where he just can’t take it anymore.  Seattle can’t provide me with decent cannoli so I have to do it myself.  This recipe will be a work in progress for the next 50 years, but the nice thing about cannoli is that the most basic one is a good start.

Much of my working information came from here.  A lot of the stuff on the internet about cannoli is way too fancy.  It’s a peasant food and it shouldn’t be tarted up.

About the sugar:  according to the internet, the classic Sicilian cannoli filling is two parts ricotta to one part confectioners’ sugar (the type without the starch).  That strikes me as too sweet for classic NY or Boston cannoli.  Also, I found that regular white sugar should work fine if you let the filling rest in the fridge for a few hours so it hydrates the sugar.

Things that aren’t correct about this recipe:

• the dough for the shells isn’t quite right, although it’s close.  The most important thing is to make sure it’s rolled as thin as possible without ripping.  This recipe also takes 3-4 minutes to cook, which is at the very long end of what I read.
• There is something important missing from the filling.  Something almost fruity/gingery and maybe a hint of anise.  Apparently, 0range blossom water is popular in cannoli filling, and that may just be the flavor I’m missing.
  Update: added some juice from a fresh mandarin orange (about 1/2 orange worth).  Added juice until it was just noticeable in the cream.  This adds complexity and that fruitiness, but it’s not clear it’s orange (to me at least).  Jeney noted it was a nice improvement.
• The ricotta is too grainy.  The guy at Topolinos talked about a special ricotta with a very fine grain.  I’ll have to look into it.

Calorie Estimate: 4000 (3000 + whatever oil makes it into the shells)

Tools

• a deep pot
• a thermometer that can stay in the pot the whole time
• cannoli tubes, or a few wooden dowels, or the handle of a burly stainless steel whisk.
• tongs
• drying rack

Ingredients

Shells

• 1.5 C flour
• 1.5 T sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1.5 T butter, melted
• 7-10 T Marsala wine
• 1 egg for egg wash

Filling

• 32 oz ricotta cheese (pick a fairly dry, smooth brand, or better, get fresh)
• 1 c sugar + to taste
• 1 t vanilla extract
• a touch of fresh squeezed sweet orange juice (just noticeable amount)
• for decoration, crushed pistachios and mini chocolate chips, maybe mix a few chips into the cream itself.

Preparation

Shells

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.  Mix in the butter and 7 T of wine.  Work everything together until it starts to come together.  If it’s too dry, add more wine, slowly.  Then, move it to a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until it’s smooth.  Let it rest on the table for 30 minutes.
2. In a deep pot, heat frying oil to 350 degrees.  Use a thermometer to regulate the temperature and be sure to keep it close to 350 at all times.  I could tell the difference in the way things cooked by 347 and 355 degrees either way.
3. Cut the dough into quarters, working each quarter.  Roll it out as thin as you can manage without ripping.
4. With a knife or a pastry cutter, cut out sections, being sure to make them just big enough to wrap around whatever you’re using to mold the shells.  Traditionally, the cuts should be oval, but that will leave a fair number of dough scraps to work with.  Squares/rectangles aren’t so bad, they’re easier to make, and leave fewer scraps.  The only major downside is squares leave a smaller opening which means fewer chocolate chips or pistachios can hitch a ride.
5. For the first batch, lightly oil your molds.  After that, the oil from previous batches will be enough.  Wrap a piece of dough around the mold, sealing the edge with a bit of egg wash.
6. Fry until brown and bubbly.  If you’ve eaten enough cannoli, you know the color.
7. Remove shells from the molds while still warm (or hot, if you can handle them safely).  Place finished shells on a drying rack to drain.

Filling

1. Place the ricotta in a bowl, draining any excess water.
2. Add in the sugar and vanilla, and whip everything together with a fork or whisk.  A vigorous whipping will smooth out the ricotta and give it a nicer texture.  Adjust sweetness to your taste as you go.
3. Place the filling in a large plastic bag, the end of which you’ll cut off to use as a piping bag.  Keep the filling in the fridge for a bit so the sugar dissolves thoroughly.

When you’re ready to serve, pipe the filling into the shells, and dip the ends into chocolate chips, pistachio crumbs, or, heaven help us, candied fruit.

More Molto Mario Ideas

From the Napoli Trattoria episode.

1. Braciola di Pollo = stuffed, de-boned chicken.  Looks delicious.  Probably a lot easier to do with skin on chicken breasts, although the whole chicken would probably be worth it.
2. Crostini Napolitani:  my interest is the anchovies and seasoned ricotta idea.

Spaghetti with pecorino, tomatoes, and spinach

The best variant of the “simple pasta with cheese” trend yet!  I think the fresh pecorino was clutch (as opposed to parmigiano), as were the specific ratios posted below.  The flavors mixed perfectly.

Calorie Estimate: 750

Ingredients

• 1 box serving of spaghetti
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 big handful of baby spinach
• 1 oz of pecorino romano, shaved/grated
• fresh basil (8-10 leaves)
• salt and pepper to taste (about 1 t, 1.5 t respectively)
• dollop of ricotta (or some fresh mozzarella)

Preparation

1. Boil pasta water and salt when boiling.  Cook pasta for recommended time.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet, heat 2 T of olive oil over medium high heat.
3. When the oil is warm, add onion and garlic and cook for a minute or so.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they get close to popping.  Stir often.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.
5. With about 2 minutes left on the pasta, add in the spinach.  It should look like way too much, but toss it with the hot oil and it’ll cook down really fast.
6. With about 30 seconds left, add in the pecorino and torn up basil leaves.
7. Drain the pasta.  Then, toss it with the sauce, and plate.  Put a dollop of ricotta in.  With long noodles, stir the dollop through for the best effect–a wonderful, flavorful, rich coating.

Piselli al Prosciutto

Peas and prosciutto

Calorie Estimate: 750

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 oz diced prosciutto (ends work and are cheaper)
• 2 cloves garlic
• twice as much chopped shallot as garlic
• 1 T butter
• 1 label servings pasta (bowtie/spaghetti)
• salt and pepper to taste
• possible extras: dollop of ricotta, grape tomatoes, parmigiano

Prep

1. Boil pasta water and place pasta in.
2. When you start the pasta, start a hot pan.  Melt 1/2 T of butter.  Add in garlic and shallot for a minute or two.
3. Add in prosciutto (small dice) for a minute or two.
4. Add in peas, turn down heat to medium.  Cook for a few minutes.
5. Drain pasta.
6. Toss everything together and add 1/2 T more of butter.  Salt (maybe) and pepper to taste.

I like this type of dish with a dollop of ricotta in the center of the bowl.  The savory dish goes great with the cool cheese.

Half a puttanesca

This is a quick, satisfying recipe that mixes salty, tangy pasta with cool, creamy ricotta.  A little fresh (well, it’s Seattle, supermarket fresh) mozzarella and prosciutto on the side and perhaps a glass of red wine, and you’re a happy man.

Estimated calories per my serving: 750

Ingredients

• pasta
• capers
• anchovy paste
• olive oil
• garlic and parsley (dried mixed)
• italian seasoning mix (red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, etc)
• dollop of ricotta
• mozzarella ball
• prosciutto

Preparation

1. boil the pasta, drain when al dente
2. warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and simmer.
3. Dump in pasta, add seasonings, anchovy paste, and capers to taste.  Toss well and plate.
4. Drop a hearty dollop of ricotta cheese in the center.