Little Wine Cookies / Biscottini al Vino
Easy
MAKES 14 TO 18
The queen of all southern Italian desserts is cannoli. These crisp, flaky cylinders are filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, nuts, citron, and bits of chocolate. Sicily lays claim to cannoli, which probably originally came from the Arabs, who influenced so much of Sicily’s cooking.
I use an old recipe my mother gave me that was given to her by her mother, and her mother before that. Originally, sheep’s milk ricotta was used. I still use my grandmother’s old wooden forms, fashioned from a broom handle, to make the cylinders, but you can buy stainless steel ones in kitchenware stores.
This recipe was featured on Season 17 - Episode 1702.
Comments
John Capraro
Ciao Mary Ann. I just wanted to say that I enjoy your show, and enjoy visiting your website. Thank you for sharing your recipes, and for the tutorials. I really appreciate it. Dedee, when i make pusties, i use Jello in the box cook n serve. The filling is delicious. I found that making the filling from scratch got a little costly, so i buy a $.99 box of Jello.
Joanne Schryvr
I made your cannoli shell recipe using a pasta roller on my KitchenAid standmixer as you suggested; OMG, the angels sang! It was the perfect solution to a perfectly thin, crackly shell. Most store-bought shells have egg in it; and bc of egg allergies, this recipe filled the bill in every way! Your staff helped me with allergy questions for which I am also very grateful. Thanks for everything!
irene war
Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe. I am not Italian but my mama and I worked in an Italian bakery years ago in LIncoln Hts, CA, a suburb of L.A. and the owner, and his pastry chef were Sicilians. That’s where I first tasted cannolis. They were the best. He only sprinkled pistachios on the ricotta filling and no chocolate. His cheesecakes were also simple and delicious.
Mary Ann pasqua
For cookies and bakery goods I use only your recipes, which are hands down the one and only. Your pizzelle recipe cannot be beat, your recipe for madeleines beat every single other one I have ever tried, so I am definitely going to try this recipe. Been watching and following your show and buying cook books for the last 25 years. I am not Italian ( my husband is) and I deeply respect your devotion to keeping the Italian traditions and passing on your immense knowledge to another generation.
Laurel Petrizzo
Thank you Maryann, Usually, I would be intimidated to try this but I really cant wait to make these
Diane
I use won ton round skins for the shells and they are thin and flaky. I have the metal tubes from my mother in law. I don’t use citron, don’t like it but use toasted chopped almonds, chopped milk chocolate and well drained marachino cherries with the whipped, drained ricotta. I also fold in some whipped cream.
Carolyn
Just a note of Thanks for all the great recipes, stories, and sharing your travels! Have watched you for years and your stories bring back many memories of baking and cooking with my grandparents and mom. I too try to keep the family traditions alive. Teaching my boys, and now young nieces how to make ravioli and all our family cookie favorites. You inspire me, and I feel a kinship with you from that deep desire to keep my ancestral ties alive.
chris
When I fry the cannoli shells, they unravel from the stainless steel form that I use. I have been using egg white to fasten the pastry ends together.
Nicole
Thank you Mary Ann! I have been watching your shows for many years! Love your cooking! I tried these as I am trying to perfect the cannoli since I agree that most are not so good! However I find canola oil leaves a taste I just don’t like on the shell and the cream has a little too much cinnamon. I am going to make again. Someone else suggesting frying in lard or peanut oil. Not sure….
Diane
I love using my homemade pizzelles for cannoli for something different. Just wrap a fresh off the press pizzelle around a stainless steel form and there ya go!