Cannoli

Drain the ricotta cheese. Line a fine mesh strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. (If you don’t have cheesecloth, use a flour sack towel or a couple of sturdy paper towels.) Add the ricotta and use the back of a spoon to smooth it into an even thickness. Allow to drain overnight in your refrigerator.

The next day, prepare the dough. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until you have a coarse mixture. Beat the 2 whole eggs in a small bowl, then mix them into the flour mixture along with the Marsala wine.

Knead and rest the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until you have a smooth dough. (If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit of flour at a time and continue to knead until you are able to form a smooth ball.) Place the dough back into the bowl and refrigerate it for an hour.

Roll the dough. Take the pastry dough out of the fridge. On a clean, thoroughly-floured work surface, roll the pastry dough out as thinly as possibly (1/16-inch). Lift and flip the dough occasionally, adding more flour as necessary to roll it out, to ensure it’s not sticking to the surface. If the dough begins to shrink back, transfer it to a baking sheet and refrigerate it for 15 minutes, then continue rolling.

Cut and shape the shells. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg white with the cold water in a small bowl. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or a drinking glass, cut the dough into 18 to 24 rounds. Dust cannoli molds with flour and wrap each pastry circle around a mold. Dampen the edge of the dough with the egg wash and press to seal the two edges of the circle shut where they meet in the middle.

Fry the cannoli shells. Fill a saucepan a third of the way with oil. Heat the oil to 350°F. Line a plate with a paper towel. A few at a time, deep fry the cannoli shells until they are uniformly golden and crisp, just a few moments. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, transfer the molds to the prepared plate. When the molds and pastry shells are cool enough to handle, gently twist the cannoli forms to release the shells. Repeat the process of forming and frying the cannoli shells until all the shells are fried and set them aside to cool completely. Once cooled, store the shells in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Mix the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, add the drained ricotta, grated chocolate, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and candied fruit (if using). Mix until all is well combined. Transfer to a piping bag, if you like (or just use a small spoon). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fill the cannoli and serve. Just before serving, pipe or spoon the filling into the cannoli shells. Dust them with a generous amount of confectioner’s sugar and grated dark chocolate. Enjoy!