Kannoli tal-Irkotta (Maltese ricotta cannoli)
Blistered, crunchy shells filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate and candied peel, made fresh just before serving.
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.60 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Rub the butter into the flour, caster sugar and cocoa. Beat the egg with the Marsala and vinegar and stir in to make a firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Tip the ricotta into a sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain while the dough rests. Beat it with the icing sugar, orange zest and vanilla until smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips and peel. Chill.
- 3
Roll the dough out very thin, about 2 mm. Cut 10 rounds with a 10 cm cutter. Wrap each loosely around a cannoli tube, or a tube of foil wrapped round a wooden spoon handle, sealing the overlap with a dab of water.
- 4
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 180 C. Fry the shells 2 or 3 at a time for 1 to 2 minutes, turning, until blistered and deep golden brown.
1 min 30 s - 5
Lift out onto kitchen paper. Slide off the tubes when cool enough to touch and leave the shells to go completely cold.
- 6
Spoon or pipe the ricotta into both ends of each shell just before serving, so they stay crisp. Dip the ends in the pistachios and dust with icing sugar.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.