Cannoli

Total Time: 2 hrs 16 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Cook Time: 1 min

Ingredients

• 4 cups sifted flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 egg yolk, beaten slightly
• 3 lbs ricotta cheese
• 1 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons minced candied citron peel or 2 tablespoons chopped nuts, of choice

Recipe

• 1 shell: resift flour with sugar and cinnamon in a small heap on bread board.
• 2 make a well in center and pour wine into it.
• 3 stir from center out to mix.
• 4 knead dough until smooth and stiff, about 15 minutes.
• 5 (kneading and rolling work best on a marble board or a regular board with a stiff cotton cover.) if dough still seems moist and sticky, knead in more flour.
• 6 it must be quite stiff.
• 7 if too dry to roll easily, add a few more drops of wine and knead inches.
• 8 cover dough with a warm bowl and let stand two hours in a moderately cool place.
• 9 roll out the dough as thin as paper.
• 10 cut into five-inch rounds and wrap each around a metal cannoli tube.
• 11 (cut smaller, about 3", if to be used on the smaller cannoli tubes.) wrap dough loosely around form so that about.
• 12 25" of the form protrudes at each end.
• 13 seal by brushing a little egg yolk (a feather brush works best) on the overlapping edge.
• 14 fry two at a time in deep hot fat for one minute, or until browned on both sides.
• 15 lift out very carefully with a slotted spoon or tongs.
• 16 drain on absorbent paper.
• 17 when cool, gently remove from the form and fill with the desired filling.
• 18 refrigerate after filling.
• 19 unfilled shells will keep about 6 weeks, boxed, in a cool dry place.
• 20 filled shells should be served soon after making.
• 21 filling: beat ricotta in blender or bowl for about a minute.
• 22 add sugar and beat until very light and creamy (about 5 minutes).
• 23 add cinnamon, citron and chocolate.
• 24 mix until thoroughly blended, (can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.) fill a pastry bag using a large pipping tip, fill each shell and dust with powdered sugar.
• 25 serve.
• 26 note: if the ricotta is too wet or thin here is the remedy,.
• 27 the cause is usually the ricotta that had not been sufficiently drained. you may want to try draining the filling. put it in cheese cloth and hang it over a pan in the refrigerator. this will hopefully help.