Digging into the Sweet History of Sicilian Cannoli (2024)

Cannoli, one of Sicily’s best-known desserts, are deep-fried cylindrical pastry shells filled with sweetened whipped ricotta mixed with candied citron and grated chocolate. The size and fillings vary in different parts of Sicily. Most notably, there are the ones with a creamy dark chocolate ricotta filling created by the pastry chefs of Messina. Cannoli are decorated in many ways: with chopped pistachios, candied orange peel, candied cherries, or chocolate. In Italian, the word cannoli is plural and cannolo singular, but in English they are almost invariably referred to as cannoli. The name comes from canna, for the river reeds that were cut into sections and used as a mold to fry the pastry shells. Nowadays, commercially available metal tubes are used instead.

History of Cannoli Siciliani

Now enjoyed year-round, cannoli were originally created as a treat during Carnevale, perhaps as a bawdy fertility symbol. The phallic shape of cannoli was whimsically exaggerated by making extra jumbo-sized ones, called cannolone or cannoli giganteschi. Even today, gigantic cannoli are sold during Carnevale in homage to their salacious past. Variations include pinky-sized cannoli called cannolicchi.

As with so many Sicilian dishes, cannoli’s roots can be traced to Saracen times. The Arabs ruled Sicily for most of the 10^th and 11^th centuries and introduced sugar and many almond-based sweets to the island. The Saracens left a lasting culinary legacy that includes not only cannoli, but also cassata cake, marzipan, and torrone. One legend claims cannoli were invented in the Moorish harem of Qalc'at al-Nissa in the Sicilian province of Caltanissetta, perhaps as a vaguely phallic tribute to the Sultan. Another origin story attributes their invention to the nuns of a convent, also in Caltanissetta. Cannoli spread from Palermo and Messina throughout Sicily and then throughout Italy. The dessert came to the USA with the great Sicilian migration in the 1880s and inspired one of the most memorable Hollywood film quotes of all time: “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli” (The Godfather, 1972)

According to Sicilian tradition, when you offer cannoli to guests, there must be at least 12 on the serving plate. Another old tradition recommends serving them on a platter piled high in the shape of a Turk’s turban, la testadelturcu “turk’s head.” Sicilians believe more is best when it comes to cannoli. Interestingly, in the Smorfia – a book that details the old Neapolitan tradition of interpreting dreams with numbers – the number 34 is called il Cannolo and signifies that you'll soon get good news.

Original recipe

Even experienced Sicilian home cooks will readily admit that making cannoli shells is tricky. The dough is made of flour, lard, Marsala, egg, sugar with the addition of cocoa powder, cinnamon, or orange zest and must be carefully wrapped around a rod, so it keeps its tubular shape during frying. Popular around the world, cannoli are at their crispy best when filled just before consuming to maintain the lovely contrast of creamy center with a crisp outer layer. While the shells are traditionally are fried, many cookbooks and pastry shops offer baked alternatives. There are even commercially available shells sold vacuum-packed. In Sicily, they traditionally used goat or sheep’s milk ricotta, considered the tastiest for cannoli. Around the world nowadays the fillings vary, including cow’s milk ricotta to whipped cream, pastry cream, custard, or mascarpone.

According to Luigi Falanga, owner of Falanga, an award-winning Sicilian pastry company, “The secret to a really great cannoli filling is to let the ricotta and sugar mixture rest in the fridge overnight – preferably 24 hours – which allows the sugar dissolve and combine smoothly with the cheese to create that lush mouth-feel.” Another plus: this technique also allows you to use less sugar. He continues, “You may be tempted to blend the ricotta and sugar with an electric hand beater, but don’t. You’ll risk having watery ricotta and you’ll need to add more sugar to thicken it. It’s important to pass the sweetened ricotta through a sieve with very tight mesh. Generally, a single pass is sufficient, but a second pass can make the ricotta cream finer and even silkier. "

Sagra della Ricotta e del Formaggio Vizzini, is a festival each April in Sicily that celebrates all thing ricotta, most especially cannoli.