.jpg) Cannoli topped with chopped pistachios, candied fruit and chocolate chips sprinkled withconfectioners' sugar | |
| Alternative names | Cannolo (Italian singular form),cannolo siciliano (Italian singular form) |
|---|---|
| Type | Pastry |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Sicily |
| Main ingredients | Fried pastry dough,ricotta filling[1] |
| Variations | Kannoli (Malta),kanojët (Albania) |
Cannoli[a] areSicilianpastries consisting of a tube-shaped shell of fried pastrydough, filled with a sweet and creamy filling containingricotta cheese.[4][5][6][7] Their size ranges from 9 to 20 centimetres (3+1⁄2 to 8 in). Inmainland Italy, the food is commonly known ascannolo siciliano (lit. 'Sicilian cannoli').
In culinary traditions acrossSicily, regional variations in cannoli fillings reflect local preferences and ingredient availability. InPalermo, cannoli are decorated withcandiedorange zest, adding a citrusy sweetness to the ricotta filling. InCatania, choppedpistachios are favored, adding a distinctive nutty flavor and texture.Ramacca is known for its purpleartichokes, which also feature as filling in some cannoli recipes.[8]
Italiancannolo andSiciliancannolu is originally adiminutive noun meaning 'little tube', fromcanna, 'cane' or 'tube'.[9]
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Some food historians place the origins of cannoli in 827–1091 inCaltanissetta, Sicily, by the concubines of princes looking to capture their attention.[10][11] This period marks the Arab rule of the island, known then as theEmirate of Sicily, giving rise to the theory that the etymology stemmed from the Arabic wordqanawāt, 'tubes', in reference to their tube-shaped shells.[12][13][14] During this time, the Arabs influenced Sicilian baking with the introduction of candied fruits, pistachios, and cinnamon.[15] They also introduced the technique of combining nuts and fruits with sugar and honey.[15]
Gaetano Basile claims[16] that cannoli come from thePalermo andMessina[17] areas and were historically prepared as a treat duringCarnival season.[18] The dessert eventually became a year-round staple in Sicily.
What is certain is, asSalvatore Farina explains, that, "cannolo is a word ofLatin origin –canneolus – and means the joint of a reed or cane, the artisan instrument used to roll the dough that was fried to make the characteristic shell, later filled with ricotta cream."[19] Farina continues, "Probably, long ago, in the wild days of theSaturnali and the old styleCarnival, street sellers prepared cannoli in the noisy and crowded public squares, filling the shell with a ricotta and honey cream. This is a confection that comes in natural portions, ideal for eating outside just as one does today with anice cream cone."[20]
Some similar desserts in Middle Eastern tradition include "Zaynab's fingers" (أصابع زينب), which are filled with nuts,[21] andqanawāt (قنوات), deep-fried dough tubes filled with various sweets, which were a popular pastry.
Cannoli at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject
