TRADITIONAL CANNOLI FILLING

TRADITIONAL CANNOLI FILLING

Take 15 oz of Ricotta Impastata (a very high quality of ricotta cheese) IF you can find it.. it is difficult to find and also expensive.  As it is only made in one region of Sicily. A very similar product is Ricotta Salata and easier to find. They both have a lighter flavor and a dryer texture than regular ricotta so they work well in cannolis. You can find them at high end cheese shops, You can use a  good quality ricotta and drain it in a sieve lined with paper towels or cheesecloth for several hours in the refrigerator. It works great, tastes fabulous and is certainly easier and less expensive.

or

Take 15 oz of Whole Milk Ricotta (1 3/4 cups) and drain at least  24 hours (depending on how much liquid is in the ricotta)

let it set and before you go to bed put in refrigerator

now next day take it out and check it… you should have a much firmer ricotta  and a lot of drainage

now we are ready to start the recipe… take the firmed ricotta out

and put it in your bowl with the shaved chocolate (or chips) about a 1/2 cup of them

1/3 cup powdered sugar

mix it in lightly with a spoon do not whip..

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp nutmeg

put not even a DROP of oil of cinnamon  any more and you have put too much.. LESS is more in this instance, oil of cinnamon is very strong..

mix well with spoon and at this point you could add

diced melon or citron candy orange peel.. any of these will work (optional according to your taste really with this recipe I left it out this time) most true  antique cannoli’s are actually very simple.. and plain, you can dress it up to your taste. play with it.. find what you like.

NOW take your filling and put in a pastry bag or like I am using to day a ziplock baggie, and cut a small corner off

Now Fill shells and eat OR put in pastry bag, or sealed container  in fridge until ready to fill and eat. do not fill cannoli’s and let cannoli’s sit.. fill JUST BEFORE eating..

to fill your shell, you fill each end of cannoli.. not overfilling just enough..

and you sprinkle powdered sugar over top, on holidays you can serve with candied citrons, or cherries to decorate or just serve with chocolate even.. so many ways to eat a cannoli =) enjoy.