The Altitude Adjustment Section
Cannoli are a great treat which really must be assembled at the last minute. But you can make the shells ahead of time and then fill them to order like they used to do in Little Italy in New York. This recipe is from my latest acquisition, The Talisman Cookbook compliments of one of my faithful listeners.
Ingredients for shells
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
sweet wine
Procedure
Mix flour, shortening, salt and sugar. Add enough wine to make stiff but workable dough. Roll into a ball, wrap in plastic and let stand 1 hour. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 5-inch squares. Form around a special metal cannoli tube, roll dough on the diagonal to make a tube with pointed ends. Press together. Deep fry one at a time until dark brown. Carefully remove tube and repeat. This can be done hours in advance. Now prepare the filing.
Ingredients for filling
1 pound Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 tablespoon candied orange rind, diced fine
1 ounce liquor, Crème de cacao or rum
2 tablespoons sugar
Procedure
Just mix everything together well and tube into prepared shells. I like to dip the ends in extra chocolate chips or chopped pistachio. I’m sure my friend Irene will have something to say about that!
