Bensonhurst Blistered Cannoli
Cannoli Siciliani·(cahn-NO-lee see-chee-lee-AH-nee)
Chapter 5 — Drinks & Sweets
In the pantheon of slice-shop sides, the cannolo is undisputed king. But just as mass-market chains degraded the word 'pizza,' the cannolo has been victimized by pre-fab factory shells and grainy, hyper-sweetened spackle. We're going back to the source: Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where Palermitan immigrants set the diaspora standard. A proper shell is defined by its bolle—shattering blisters born of an immutable triad: lard, dry Marsala, and white wine vinegar. Treat this unleavened dough with the same rigorous 24-hour cold ferment as a New York slice, and you'll get a mahogany crust that shatters cleanly against an ethereally smooth sheep's milk ricotta.
Before you start
Drain the ricotta for a minimum of 12 hours.
Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Add the ricotta, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Skip this step, and your filling will be soup.
Mix the dough and initiate the cold ferment.
In a large bowl, rub the cold lard into the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, espresso powder, cinnamon) until it resembles damp sand. Whisk the Marsala, vinegar, and 30g beaten egg, then pour into the dry mixture. Knead aggressively on the counter for 5 to 8 minutes until a smooth, dense ball forms. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to fully relax the gluten.
Ingredients
- 00 flour300 g
- dry Marsala wine60 g
- lard30 g
- granulated sugar30 g
- beaten large egg30 g
- white wine vinegar15 g
- fine sea salt3 g
- unsweetened cocoa powder3 g
- instant espresso powder1 1/2 g
- ground cinnamon1 g
- neutral frying oil2 qt
- sheep's milk ricotta500 g
- superfine granulated sugar150 g
- mini semi-sweet chocolate chips40 g
- candied orange peel20 g
- powdered sugar1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Mill the drained ricotta into a silky cream.
Discard the extracted whey. Using a silicone spatula, press the firm, drained ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This mechanical milling creates a perfectly silky texture without breaking the emulsion. Fold in the superfine sugar and chocolate chips, then transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate.
- 02
Laminate and roll the dough paper-thin.
Cut the cold dough into four pieces. Flatten one and run it through a pasta machine on the widest setting. Fold it in half and roll it again, repeating twice to build microscopic layers. Roll progressively thinner until you reach 1/16th of an inch thick, which is usually setting 6 on a standard machine.
- 03
Cut, wrap, and seal the shells.
Stamp out 4-inch circles and gently pull them into slight ovals. Lay a stainless steel cannolo tube diagonally across each. Wrap the inner flap over the metal, dab the outer flap with a tiny amount of leftover egg white, and press firmly to seal. Do not wrap too tightly or let egg wash touch the metal.
- 04
Fry the shells at exactly 350°F.
Heat 3 inches of neutral oil in a heavy Dutch oven to 350°F. Lower 3 or 4 tubes into the oil at a time; they will violently erupt in blisters. Fry for 90 to 120 seconds, turning gently, until deep mahogany brown.
- 05
Extract the tubes while warm.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack. Wait 45 to 60 seconds until the metal is touchable with a dry towel, then gently grip the shell and slide the tube out. Let the shells cool completely to room temperature.
- 06
Fill the shells strictly a la minute.
Never fill a cannolo in advance. When ready to eat, pipe the chilled ricotta cream into one end until flush, then pipe into the other. Garnish with candied orange peel and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Eat immediately and listen for the shatter.
Notes
The crucial triad of native ingredients.
Do not substitute butter for the lard, or water for the wine. Lard prevents tough gluten formation while maximizing flakiness; Marsala provides ethanol that vaporizes instantly in hot oil for violent blistering; and white wine vinegar relaxes the dough for extreme stretching.
Sourcing sheep's milk ricotta.
Authentic Palermitan cannoli rely on ricotta di pecora. If unavailable, source the highest-quality whole milk cow's ricotta you can find, but it must be drained regardless to prevent a watery filling.