Yields 4 servings
Pastry Ingredients:
¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3 ½ teaspoons sugar
salt
1 tablespoon Marsala wine or rum
olive oil for frying, as needed
Filling Ingredients:
8 ¾ ounces fresh ricotta, preferably from sheep’s milk
1 ounce candied fruit, roughly chopped
1 ounce chocolate chips (or semisweet chocolate), roughly chopped
1 ounce pistachios, roughly chopped
½ cup sugar
confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions:
To make the pastry:
Combine the flour, cocoa, butter, egg, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface, add the Marsala, and knead until dough is smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
To make the filling:
Strain the ricotta through a sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in the fruit, chocolate, and pistachios. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4-inch squares. Wrap the squares diagonally around special cannoli form (or stainless steel dowels cut into 4-inch lengths). Heat oil in a pan until shimmering. Place the cannoli form with the dough into the hot oil and fry until golden, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and let cool.
Once the shells have cooled, remove from the cannoli form. Use a pastry bag to fill the cannoli with the ricotta filling, and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve immediately (the moist filling makes the dough lose its crispness).