Photo by Ammu Photo by Ammu Sicilian cannoli are a symbolic and classic dessert of the island’s confectionary culture. Its distinctive trait is to wrap a crunchy and crispy shell around a filling made with sheep’s ricotta. As decoration, chocolate chips, candied orange peels and candied cherries are a must. As is often the case, tracing the origins of a dessert is never easy. Searching for the origins of cannoli means diving into a past that often has undefined boundaries. What is certain is that it is a traditional Sicilian recipe, and, in its most archaic form, it dates to the Greek and then Roman times. Some argue that the recipe most similar to the one we know today was born in a cloistered convent in Caltanissetta, where the nuns prepared the first cannoli by revisiting an ancient Roman recipe. But another legend attributes cannoli to the women of a castle harem, during Arab rule around 1000. The dessert is said to have been invented to seduce and exalt the masculinity of their men. Which is not surprising when you consider that in the past, having children was a true blessing. For the poorest families, it meant having more hands to work the field, for the richer families it meant having heirs. What we can certainly affirm is that the cannoli recipe is an excellent example of cultural contamination. The ancient Arab confectionary traditions combined together with the skill of Sicilian nuns who were always eager to find new recipes to delight parties and celebrations. Suggestive Sicilian desserts Today Sicilian cannoli are made with dough rolled up in a tube shape and filled with sheep’s ricotta that has been flavoured with various ingredients. The shape suggests the 27
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