Cannoli, Another Way

For the shell dough:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 T granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
2 T melted butter
a scant 3/4 cup of Marsala wine
2 quarts canola or other flavorless oil, for frying
egg white, for sealing the ends of the dough on the cannoli forms before frying

For the filling:
30 ounces whole milk ricotta, drained in the refrigerator several hours or overnight
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate, plus more for sprinkling on the ends of the filled cannolis

Garnish:
chopped pistachios, for sprinkling on the ends of the filled cannolis
powdered sugar, for dusting

Equipment:
cannoli forms
a pasta machine or pasta-making attachment for your electric mixer
deep fat frying thermometer
4-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, or other round form that can cut 4-inch circles



Drain the ricotta overnight in the refrigerator.

Combine the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and chocolate chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator.

For the shells:
Combine the flour, sugar, and pinch of salt. Mix in the melted butter and Marsala wine, continuing to mix until a dough comes together. Knead the dough by hand for a few minutes until it is smooth and supple, wrap the ball of dough in Saran wrap and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours.

Divide the dough into quarters. Working with a quarter at a time, roll it through a pasta machine several times on the widest setting, folding it back over and onto itself after every pass through. This will smooth the dough out a bit; it shouldn't look 'shaggy' at this point, but smooth and flat. Continue passing it through the machine, cranking down the size of the opening with each pass through. Get the dough as thin as possible without tearing or ripping. If the dough gets too sticky, dust with flour.

Roll out the dough and cut into 4-inch rounds, setting the rounds aside. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 quarters of dough, re-rolling the scraps of leftover dough after cutting the dough and cut into rounds.

Frying the shells:
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until it comes to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a cooling rack with a paper towel for draining the cooked cannoli shells.

Wrap a round of dough loosely around the end of a cannoli form, sealing the seam by firmly pressing with a little egg white. With metal tongs, drop the forms into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil and cool on the rack, sliding the form out of the shell.

Assembly:
Just before serving (and after the shells have thoroughly cooled), pipe the ricotta filling into the shells. Dip the ends of the cannoli into the chopped chocolate and pistachios. Do not pipe the filling into the shells until ready to serve or the cannolis will be soggy.

Makes 24 cannolis