Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo, meaning “little tubeâ€, with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine.
Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese (or alternatively, but less traditionally, sweetened blended with some combination of vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, Marsala wine, rosewater or other flavorings.
The versions Americans are most familiar with tend to involve variations on the original concept. This is possibly due to adaptations made by Italians who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1900s and discovered limited availability of certain ingredients. The cannoli sold in Italian-American bakeries today usually still contain ricotta, but mascarpone is a less common alternative. Sometimes the filling is a simple custard of sugar, milk, and cornstarch. In either case, the cream is often flavored with vanilla or orange flower water and a light amount of cinnamon. Chopped pistachios, semi-sweet chocolate bits, and candied citrus peel or cherries are often still included, dotting the open ends of the pastry. Chocolate sprinkles are sometimes used as a garnish for cannoli in the United States. _Wikipedia
And this classic: "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
Mmm... cannoli. Also an ingredient in various euphemisms, such as holy cannoli and hide the cannoli.
Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo, meaning “little tubeâ€, with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine.
Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese (or alternatively, but less traditionally, sweetened blended with some combination of vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, Marsala wine, rosewater or other flavorings.
The versions Americans are most familiar with tend to involve variations on the original concept. This is possibly due to adaptations made by Italians who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1900s and discovered limited availability of certain ingredients. The cannoli sold in Italian-American bakeries today usually still contain ricotta, but mascarpone is a less common alternative. Sometimes the filling is a simple custard of sugar, milk, and cornstarch. In either case, the cream is often flavored with vanilla or orange flower water and a light amount of cinnamon. Chopped pistachios, semi-sweet chocolate bits, and candied citrus peel or cherries are often still included, dotting the open ends of the pastry. Chocolate sprinkles are sometimes used as a garnish for cannoli in the United States.
_Wikipedia