Maltese Kannoli
Crispy, bubbly fried pastry shells bursting with sweet, creamy ricotta and chocolate chips.
Step-by-Step Recipe
Prepare the Dough
Mix the flour, sugar, and lard until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and wine, mixing until a firm dough forms. Knead for a few minutes, wrap in plastic, and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Shape and Fry
Roll the dough extremely thin. Cut out circles using a 10cm cutter. Wrap the circles around metal cannoli tubes, sealing the overlapping edges with a drop of water. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown and blistered. Remove and drain, then carefully slide off the tubes.
Make the Filling
Push the well-drained ricotta through a sieve to make it smooth. Gently fold in the icing sugar, chocolate chips, and candied peel. Chill the filling until ready to serve.
Pipe and Serve
Right before serving, use a piping bag to fill the cooled pastry shells from both ends. Dust generously with icing sugar. Do not fill them too early, or the shells will lose their crunch!