Off the Eaten Path: 'King of all cannoli' hails from Sicily

I am back in my ancestral country this week and writing from the beautiful, Mediterranean island of Sicily. Before we even landed, like any self-professed lover of all things food and drink, I had my top 10 list of things I was craving. Along with arancini, granita, caponata, parmigiana di melanzane, pannelli, pasta alla Norma, cassata, gelato in brioche, the gorgeous wines of Etna,  we cannot forget cannoli! 

Not just any cannoli but Sicilian cannoli, the king of all cannoli. These beautiful pastries, brought to Sicily by the Arabs in the 10th and 11th centuries, have been enjoyed here for over 1,000 years. A thousand years is a long time for a recipe to evolve but rest assured, the deep-fried pastry tube, filled with sweetened, fresh sheep’s ricotta is still a simple celebration of the finest ingredients. Occasionally you will find them with added pistachios, candied fruit/citrus or chocolate chips/shavings. 

I still remember the first time I enjoyed a Sicilian cannolo (singular for one pastry) in Sicily. 

The year was 1997. My husband, two children and I had made the move to Milan, Italy, in the spring of 1997 and we then ventured to the South for a vacation that September. 

Across the Strait of Messina from Calabria, we travelled to Taormina for the day with two little boys in tow. Besides the breathtaking views of the gorgeous, seaside town of Taormina, I remember that first authentic cannolo taste. 

The first thing I remember was the size, it was huge. At 14 cm or a full five-and-a-half inches long, the standard cannolo size, it will surely satisfy any sweet craving. The crunchy shell and smooth, sweetened sheep’s milk ricotta are as simple a combination as one can enjoy. 

The shell was still crunchy because any, truly authentic cannolo must be filled on request for each guest, to ensure that the shell remains crunchy and a glorious contrast to the creamy ricotta filling. 

The sheep’s milk ricotta was so fresh I could taste the grass that would have surely been the sheep’s last meal before being milked. 

That first taste, exactly 25 years ago, remains with me to this day and all other cannoli experiences are compared to it. 

Originally cannoli were enjoyed only during the carnevale, in the winter, but now they can be found all year. Sicilians will tell you however, that they are best between late September and late May because that is when the sheep are grass fed and the ricotta is the best.  

Although the Arabs are said to have brought cannoli to Sicily along with sugar and almonds, there are a few theories as to who perfected them in the early days. One theory was that the concubines of an Arab prince made them for their prince. Another theory is that the cloistered nuns perfected them in seclusion. The final theory is that the remaining concubines were shunned after the prince left and the only place for them to seek refuge were the convents. There, they shared their recipe with the nuns and the rest as they say is history.

It’s extremely hard to find authentic, Sicilian cannoli in North America mostly due to the difficulty in sourcing fresh sheep’s milk ricotta. Many bakeries will make a pre-filled, cow’s milk ricotta and cream version that is called cannoli, but the name is the only thing synonymous with authentic Sicilian cannoli. 

Sweet Temptations, in Guelph’s south end, is a Holy Cannoli retailer. Holy Cannoli is a Toronto-based company that makes a good version of the Sicilian cannoli. The original recipe comes from Italy and the shells are filled on demand to ensure the shell stays crunchy. They even have gluten-free shells imported from Sicily. The sweet, ricotta-based cream filling is tasty and will satisfy your craving until your next trip to Sicily.