Ingredients

• FOR PASTRY

• 2 cups - 250g all purpose (plain) flour
• 2tbsp - 30g of sugar
• 1oz - 30g of salted butter or lard (with pinch of salt)
• 1 small egg
• ¼ cup - 60 ml of Marsala (alternative: Orange juice)

• FOR THE CREAM FILLING

• 2.6lbs -1200g of ricotta cheese (drained)
• 3 cups - 340g of icing sugar
• 1 and a half grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp Vanilla bean extract or paste

• TO DECORATE

• ½ cup crushed pistachio nuts

• FOR FRYING

• 1.5 quart - 1.5 litre vegetable (Canola) oil

Steps

• Step 1

  In a large bowl, add the sifted flour and make a well in the centre. Add the soft butter or lard, sugar, Marsala and egg. Mix ingredients by stirring from the centre outwards. Form into a dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a ball then wrap in cling film and leave to rest one hour minimum in refrigerator.

• Step 2

  Roll out the dough using a rolling pin into approx. ⅛
  inch thickness (1.5mm), or better still, use a pasta machine at the narrowest level. Keep dough covered with damp kitchen towels so it doesn’t dry out.

• Step 3

  Using a 4 inch – 10cm circular cutter, or trace with a knife around a large coffee cup. Cut circles from the dough.

• Step 4

  Heat up some frying oil 340°F – 170°C

• Step 5

  Wrap each round of dough around a stainless steel cannoli tubes and seal the tip with a little beaten egg just before the end of the roll.

• Step 6

  Fry shells in a pan of deep oil a few at a time until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes, a little darker will have a longer lasting crisp). Using a slotted spoon, remove shells from fryer. Cool slightly and carefully remove the fried cannoli shell from the tube.

• Step 7

  For the filling, in a mixer bowl, add the ricotta, powdered (icing) sugar, vanilla extract and grated lemon zest until smooth. Whip using a whisk attachment until smooth 2-3 minutes.

• Step 8

  Use a piping bag with a 16mm star nozzle or a small spatula to fill the cannoli. You can also use a plastic freezer bag with the tip cut off. Fill the bag with the filling and pipe from each end into each shell.

• Step 9

  Dip each ends in crushed pistachio nuts. Dust with powdered/icing sugar.

Little Tips

Store the shells and mixture separate and assemble just before dinner or dessert, so you retain that crispy crunch. They will retain a little crunch the day after but will soon become soft after that.