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Cannoli

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This article is about the Italian pastry dessert. For the Italian pasta dish, see Cannelloni. For the kidney bean, see Cannellini.
Cannoli
Alternative namesCannolo (Italian singular form), cannolo siciliano (Italian singular form), Sicilian cannoli
TypePastry
Place of originItaly
Region or stateSicily
Main ingredientsFried pastry dough, ricotta filling[1]
Variations


Cannoli topped with chopped pistachios, candied fruit and chocolate chips sprinkled with confectioners' sugar
Sicilian cannoli with chopped pistachios and candied cherries

Cannoli[a] are a Sicilian pastry consisting of a tube-shaped shell of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling containing ricotta cheese.[4][5][6] Its size ranges from 9 to 20 centimetres (3+1⁄2 to 8 in). In mainland Italy, it is commonly known as cannolo siciliano (lit. 'Sicilian cannoli').

In culinary traditions across Sicily, regional variations in cannoli fillings reflect local preferences and ingredient availability. In Palermo, cannoli are decorated with candied orange zest, adding a citrusy sweetness to the filling. In Catania, chopped pistachios are favored, adding a distinctive nutty flavor and texture. Ramacca is known for its purple artichokes, which also feature as filling in some cannoli recipes.[7]

Etymology

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Italian cannolo and Sicilian cannolu is originally a diminutive noun meaning 'little tube', from canna, 'cane' or 'tube'.[8]

History

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Sicilian cannolo with cherry and pistachio

Some food historians place the origins of cannoli in 827–1091 in Caltanissetta, Sicily, by the concubines of princes looking to capture their attention.[9][10] This period marks the Arab rule of the island, known then as the Emirate of Sicily, giving rise to the theory that the etymology stemmed from the Arabic word qanawāt, 'tubes', in reference to their tube-shaped shells.[11][12][13] During this time, the Arabs influenced Sicilian baking with the introduction of candied fruits, pistachios, and cinnamon.[14] They also introduced the technique of combining nuts and fruits with sugar and honey.[14]

Gaetano Basile claims[15] that cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina[16] areas and were historically prepared as a treat during Carnival season, possibly as a fertility symbol.[17] The dessert eventually became a year-round staple in Sicily.

What is certain is, as Salvatore Farina explains, that «cannolo is a word of Latin origin – canneolus – and means the joint of a reed or cane, the artisan instrument used to roll the dough that was fried to make the characteristic shell, later filled with ricotta cream».[18]

«Probably, long ago, - Farina continues - in the wild days of the Saturnali and the old style Carnival, street sellers prepared cannoli in the noisy and crowded public squares, filling the shell with a ricotta and honey cream. This is a confection that comes in natural portions, ideal for eating outside just as one does today with an ice cream cone»[19].

Some similar desserts in Middle Eastern tradition include "Zaynab's fingers" (أصابع زينب), which are filled with nuts,[20] and qanawāt (قنوات), deep-fried dough tubes filled with various sweets, which were a popular pastry.

See also

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Media related to Cannoli at Wikimedia Commons Cannoli at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject

Notes

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  1. ^ English: /kəˈnoʊli/ kə-NOH-lee, pl.: cannoli[2] or cannolis;[3] Italian: cannolo, Italian: [kanˈnɔːlo], pl.: cannoli, Italian: [kanˈnɔːli]; Sicilian: cannolu, Sicilian: [kanˈnɔːlʊ], pl.: cannola, Sicilian: [kanˈnɔːla]

References

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  1. ^ "Homemade Cannoli". Food Network. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Definition of CANNOLI". www.merriam-webster.com. 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  3. ^ "The American Heritage Dictionary entry: cannoli". www.ahdictionary.com. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  4. ^ "Digging into the Sweet History of Sicilian Cannoli". La Cucina Italiana. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  5. ^ Gangi, Robert (2006). "Cannoli". bestofsicily.com. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  6. ^ "The Cannoli of Piana degli Albanesi". A Taste of Travel. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. ^ Vicenzino, Cettina (2020). The Sicily Cookbook: Authentic Recipes from a Mediterranean Island. DK. p. 208. ISBN 978-1465491107.
  8. ^ "Cannoli". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. 2003. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  9. ^ "History of Sicilian Cannoli. A Sweet Mystery". JustSicily. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Cannolo: The 'erotic' origins of Sicily's top pastry". CNN. 13 May 2022.
  11. ^ Paul H. Freedman (2007). Food: The History of Taste (illustrated ed.). University of California Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780520254763.
  12. ^ "Cannoli Sicilian Shells".
  13. ^ "The King of Sweets: The Sicilian Cannolo". 6 June 2015.
  14. ^ a b Salloum, Habeeb; Salloum, Muna; Elias, Leila Salloum (2013-06-25). Sweet Delights from a Thousand and One Nights: The Story of Traditional Arab Sweets. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85772-330-7.
  15. ^ "The "spicy" history of cannoli Siciliani". Life in Italy. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  16. ^ "30 cannoli siciliani perfetti per un tentativo di classifica definitiva". Scatti di Gusto (in Italian). 22 July 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  17. ^ "The Cannoli and It's [sic] Rich History | Cannoli Kitchen". 26 March 2019. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  18. ^ Farina, Salvatore (2009). Sweet Sensations of Sicily. The Legacy of Biagio Settepani with Forty-six Original Master Recipes. Caltanissetta: Lussografica. p. 19. ISBN 978-88-8243-214-0.
  19. ^ Farina, Salvatore (2009). Sweet Sensations of Sicily. The Legacy of Biagio Settepani with Forty-six Original Master Recipes. Caltanissetta: Lussografica. p. 42. ISBN 978-88-8243-214-0.
  20. ^ Michael Krondl (2011). Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert. Chicago Review Press. p. 102. ISBN 9781556529542.
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