How to Make Savory Cannoli
Traditional Italian Dessert Makes a Great Appetizer or Tapas
Nov 16, 2008
Classic Cannoli
Often seen as a rich, sweet dessert, cannoli can be adapted to fit almost any purpose. There are pastry-cream versions that cut out the classic ricotta filling, as well as recipes that call for pistachios, cherries, and various liquors and extracts for added flavor.
But rarely is this Italian food prepared as a savory dish. Its small size and portability make it ideal for an appetizer or as part of a tapas-style dinner spread. The following recipe is a savory vegetarian version, but meat lovers can make their own delicious cannoli with pork and prosciutto in the filling.
Quick Cannoli Cooking Tips
- To save on time, buy pre-made cannoli shells, or scorza, at your local grocery or Italian bakery.
- When making cannoli shells, the dough must be wrapped around a cannolo form, a metal tube that comes in various widths. These inexpensive pieces can be found in specialty cooking supply stores and online. It is also possible to use a wooden dowel to achieve the desired canolli shape.
- Always fill the shells just before serving to keep the crispy shell from becoming soggy. The easiest way to fill them is to spoon the filling into a pastry bag and squeeze a small amount into either end of the shell. In the case of this savory recipe the filling is baked inside the shell, so serve them soon after baking.
Cannoli Shells
Makes 16-18 shells.
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg or cloves
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Marsala or port
- 1 egg white
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Directions
Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, shortening, sugar and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Gradually add wine, kneading mix together with fingers until tough dough is formed. Remove dough from bowl and shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and let stand for about 30 minutes. Separate dough into three sections and roll one section into a thin sheet about 1/4-inch and cut into ovals three inches wide and four inches in length.
Place a metal tube across each oval lengthwise. Wrap dough around tube by overlapping the 2 sides, sealing the overlapping sides with the egg white. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a large, deep pan for deep frying until it reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop one or two dough-covered tubes at a time into the hot oil and fry gently on all sides until dough turns a golden brown color, usually one minute. Remove from pan, let cool briefly, and gently remove shell from metal tube. Set shells on a cooling rack or towel. Repeat procedure until all shells are made.
Savory Cannoli Filling
Recipe used with permission of A.J. Rathbun and Harvard Common Press (Original recipe printed in "Party Snacks!," by A. J. Rathbun, $12.95, Harvard Common Press).
These cannoli go well with hot sauce, mustard, or teriyaki sauce. Makes 18 cannoli.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
- 1 can (15 oz.) white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
- 18 cannoli shells
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring regularly, for five minutes. Add corn, beans, garlic, salt and pepper to cook five minutes more. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add cheese and breadcrumbs and mix well.
- Fill cannoli shells evenly with mixture. Place the filled cannoli on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, checking to make sure they don't overbrown.
- Let cool slightly, and serve hot on a large platter.
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