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Italian, Sicily cuisineDessert

Cannoli siciliani

Crisp Sicilian cannoli shells filled with sweet sheep’s-milk ricotta and finished with chocolate, candied orange and pistachios.

Four Sicilian cannoli filled with ricotta and decorated with pistachios and chocolate
1 hPrep
20 minutesCook
5 h 50 minTotal
10 cannoliYield

About Cannoli siciliani

Cannoli are built around a contrast that disappears if they sit too long: the shell should be thin, blistered and crisp, while the ricotta filling should be cool, dense and creamy. Filling immediately before serving preserves that contrast.

Visit Sicily describes cannoli as one of the island’s most typical pastry products. Its published home recipe uses a firm 00-flour dough enriched with sugar, lard, egg and Marsala or white wine, then rolled thin, wrapped around metal tubes and fried.

The filling is based on sheep’s-milk ricotta. Visit Sicily specifically recommends passing the ricotta through a fine sieve rather than using an electric mixer, because aggressive beating can loosen it. Sugar, vanilla and dark chocolate are then folded in.

Ricotta moisture is the hidden variable. Fresh ricotta should drain for several hours in the refrigerator before it is sieved. If it remains watery, the filling leaks and the shells soften rapidly even when the pastry has been fried correctly.

The final garnishes can vary, but chopped pistachios and candied orange are both strongly associated with Sicilian service. They should decorate the ends without overwhelming the ricotta or turning the pastry into a heavily topped dessert.

Technique

Three things that matter

  • Drain the ricotta thoroughly. A dry, creamy filling stays inside the shell and preserves crispness.
  • Roll the shell dough thin. Thick shells fry hard rather than brittle and blistered.
  • Fill at the last moment. Once ricotta touches the shell, moisture begins migrating into the fried pastry.

Ingredients

Recipe card

Cannoli siciliani

Yield10
Preparation: 60 mCooking: 20 mTotal time: 5 h 50 m

Cannoli shells

Ricotta filling and finish

Equipment

Fine-mesh sieve for the ricotta filling
Rolling pin or pasta machine to make very thin shell dough
10 metal cannoli tubes for shaping during frying
Deep heavy saucepan or fryer for stable oil temperature
Deep-fry thermometer to keep the oil around 175–180 °C
Piping bag for filling from both ends
Slotted spoon and wire rack for draining the shells

Method

Prepare the ricotta

01Drain the ricotta.

Set the ricotta in a fine sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Discard the drained whey.

02Make the filling.

Press the ricotta through a fine sieve. Fold in the sugar, vanilla and chopped dark chocolate until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

The filling should mound on a spoon rather than spread like sauce.

Make and rest the shell dough

03Mix a firm dough.

Combine flour, sugar, lard, cocoa if using, egg and Marsala. Add only enough extra wine or vinegar to form a firm dough similar in stiffness to fresh egg pasta.

04Rest for 30 minutes.

Cover the dough and leave it at cool room temperature for about 30 minutes so it can be rolled without springing back.

Shape and fry

05Roll very thin.

Roll the dough into thin sheets and cut ovals large enough to wrap around the cannoli tubes.

06Seal on the tubes.

Wrap each oval around a tube with a small overlap. Brush the overlap lightly with egg white and press to seal.

07Fry until crisp.

Heat oil to 175–180 °C. Fry the shells on their tubes in small batches until browned, blistered and crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Drain on a rack and remove the tubes when safe to handle.

The shell should feel rigid and light, with small surface blisters rather than a thick bready wall.

Fill and garnish

08Fill only when ready to serve.

Pipe the cold ricotta filling from both ends until each shell is full.

09Finish the ends.

Decorate with pistachios and candied orange, then dust lightly with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Practical guidance

Practical guidance

Why sheep’s-milk ricotta

Its flavour and texture are central to the Sicilian version. Cow’s-milk ricotta can work technically but tastes milder and often contains more moisture.

Frying medium

Visit Sicily mentions hot lard or olive oil. A neutral high-heat frying oil is a practical home choice when consistent flavour and temperature control are priorities.

Make-ahead components

Unfilled fried shells can be kept airtight for a short period once completely cool. Keep filling refrigerated separately and combine only before service.

Decorations

Chocolate, pistachio and candied orange can all appear at the ends. Use them sparingly so the filling remains recognisably ricotta-led.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The shells are tough. They were rolled too thick or fried too cool. Roll thinner and keep the oil near 175–180 °C.
  • The shells open in the fryer. The overlap was too small or insufficiently sealed. Brush lightly with egg white and press firmly before frying.
  • The filling leaks. Ricotta moisture is too high. Drain longer and sieve before adding sugar.
  • The shells soften quickly. They were filled too early. Pipe the ricotta as close to serving time as possible.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: 1 cannolo
  • Calories: approximately 390 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 39 g
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Fibre: 2 g
  • Sodium: approximately 120 mg

Estimate assumes ten cannoli and an average amount of absorbed frying oil; actual oil uptake varies considerably.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten, egg, milk and pistachios/tree nuts; dark chocolate may carry additional allergen declarations.

Deep-frying requires stable equipment, dry utensils and careful temperature control. Water must be kept away from hot oil.

Keep the ricotta filling refrigerated and do not leave filled cannoli at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

FAQ

FAQ

Why fill cannoli just before serving?

Ricotta moisture migrates into the fried shell quickly, softening the crisp pastry.

Should the ricotta be whipped with a mixer?

Visit Sicily advises against electric whisks or mixers because they can make the ricotta too runny; sieving is preferred.

Is cocoa required in the shell?

No. Visit Sicily notes that cocoa is a colour variation rather than a defining flavour requirement.

Can the shells be baked instead of fried?

Baking creates a different pastry texture. The traditional cannolo shell is fried around a tube.

Final note

What matters most

  • Result: Thin brittle shells crack cleanly around a cool dense sheep’s-ricotta filling, with restrained chocolate, pistachio and candied citrus accents.
  • Key: Drain the ricotta, roll the shell dough thin, control frying temperature and fill at the last possible moment.
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