Skip to main content

Sicily - part II.....Leave the gun, take the CANNOLI!!!




Who hasn't wondered, while watching the Godfather I, what on earth were cannoli and why they were so important that they shouldn't be left in a car with a dead wiseguy? Of course that doesn't include people actually acquainted with the said pastries, who wouldn't for a second think of ever forgetting a box of those wonderful delicacies.
So let me introduce you... Cannoli (plural form of cannolo), crunchy cigars of deep-fried pastry crusts, filled with the omnipresent (at least in Sicilian pâtisserie) crema di ricotta, simply ricotta mixed with icing sugar, small chocolate chips and decorated with some candied orange peel.

This simple delight can come in oversweetened guise so beware and choose wisely. Of course, for the sake of testing and experience, I tried them from different shops (at least four times, including one last nostalgic roll from the airport café).

The following picture was taken at the Caffé Antico Spinnato, one of the places to people watch in Palermo. They were the best. The inside of the crust was covered in dark chocolate, which added extra crunch and, well, of course, chocolate. I suspect the one at the airport came from the same place (they sell them in packages too). It was chocolate-plated too, which the "normal" ones weren't, in Cefalù.

They also come as mini (cannoli piccoli) when one is tempted but thinking of one's waistline (which I obviously wasn't). But then they have no peel to them.


Frankly, I am in love with them, and it's a good thing they aren't available here. That means that 1) temptation is kept at bay with no willpower of my own involved, and 2) I'll have to go back to Sicily one day (or NYC obviously). I mean, what's not to love? crispy rolls of cracking pastry, melting ricotta, choc chips and orange peel... and I resisted buying the metal rolls to make them at home, mainly because I couldn't stand deep-frying the shells, and I was conscious of the damage that would do to my waistline anyway.
Tea and coffee at the Antico Caffé Spinnato...

Comments

Anonymous said…
Gorgeous pics, Julie! You were wise to sample several. I love cannoli, and also love your entry title!
Claudia said…
Julie, really love your report!
I don't love cannoli but Luca does and when it's possible we buy them here in a sicilian pasticceria.

And...do you know they sell the ready-made pasta rolls for cannoli? Ok, they are not those you had in Palermo but if you want to give them a try...just let me know!
Anonymous said…
Julie,
Your reports from Italy are so wonderful...so atmospheric. And if you come to NYC I will march you straight down to little Italy, where, yes, they have cannoli just like that!
xE
julie said…
Thank you ladies!

Claudia, so kind of you to offer that, but then that's you! I'll tell you if I feel a sudden urge for cannoli;)
CélineCook said…
Exactly what I ate in Little Italy in NY!!
Anonymous said…
Mothership Canoli:
http://people.tribe.net/carmineguida/blog/c339e2bd-fc79-41a5-897a-67e6770fb568

Popular posts from this blog

Nigella's summer crumble

How has your summer been? Has everyone around you been complaining of the weather? Summer' s so much more than just sun and heat though... fruit,  farniente , ice-cream,  apéros  and walks...reading long books, so many little pleasures. Tossa de Mar And lest we forget to turn the oven on, to warm us up... Nigella's summer crumble (from Forever Summer ) is a fantastic way to use up those less-than satisfying apricots that everyone leaves in the fruit bowl, the ones a little less red, the mushy ones, and transform them into deep orange compote under the layer of almondy crumble. Or any other stone fruit for that matter. Parc Guell, Barcelona Summer crumble, adapted from Nigella Lawson in  Forever Summer 750g apricots, stoned and quartered 75g butter 100g self-raising flour or flour with 1/2 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt 25g ground almonds 75g caster sugar 50g flaked or chopped almonds Preheat the oven at 200C. Butter a gratin dish. Layer the fruit

La Réunion en recettes : cari de lotte et son riz au lait de coco

Enfin, je réalise d'autres recettes réunionnaises . La cuisine de la Réunion, au carrefour des continents, à l'image de sa population, associe des saveurs européennes, asiatiques, indiennes et africaines. Je vous propose le cari de lotte, tout simplement parce que je cherchais du poisson ce samedi-là, et que les queues de lotte m'ont tapé dans l'oeil. Pauvres lottes décapitées sur l'étal du rayon poissonnerie, eh oui, la lotte est moche, tellement moche qu'on l'appelle poisson-diable en allemand et en anglais (mais aussi poisson-moine/monkfish), aussi, on la propose souvent débarassée de son faciès. Oui, mais une fois rentrés à la maison, que faire de ces deux beaux filets? Ni une, ni deux, j'ouvre mes tomes de Nigella et Jamie et compulse les index, mais les recettes ne m'emballant pas trop, je pense soudain à en faire un cari et j'ouvre alors Cuisine des Iles de l'Océan Indien (Edisud), ramené lors de mon dernier voyage à la Réunion il y a

Pseudo goulasch hispanisant (avec ou sans mijoteuse)

Avec mes gadgets appareils culinaires, c'est par périodes. Parfois je fais des yaourts pendant des semaines, et puis après j'en ai marre, je les achète. J'avoue avoir assez rarement utilisé la mijoteuse , et surtout pour des plats à cuisson longue type ragoûts, curries, bourguignon, et aussi pour cuire des légumineuses. Mais cette semaine, j'ai décidé de m'en servir plus régulièrement, et de vous en faire profiter. Sympa, hein? ;-) Comme ressources, j'utilise ce livre , mais je ne l'aime pas trop, et surtout la Crockpot Lady , une mine d'or. Et parfois, j'improvise, comme ici, et le résultat était totalement délicieux. Saviez-vous qu'il est plus "écolo" de manger du porc que du boeuf? L'élevage de porcs abîme moins l'environnement que celui des boeufs, bien sûr pour être vraiment écolo, il faut manger végétarien voire vegan, mais à chacun ses convivtions, c'est déjà mieux de manger moins de viande, et de choisir volai