The Sicilian cannolo is certainly one of the best known, loved and above all exported sweets all over the world. Symbol of the island's confectionery art, it is one of the most popular Italian pastry specialties from one end of the peninsula to the other and abroad.
The traditional Sicilian cannoli is made with a tube-shaped fried wafer filled with sheep's milk ricotta, but the filling can be varied: from custard to Chantilly, from buffalo ricotta to pistachio cream with chocolate.
“Origins of cannoli. The first hypothesis is linked to Arab domination. In fact, although ricotta is a product that has existed in Sicily for a long time, it was the Arabs who mixed it with sugar, forming an exquisite cream that is the basis of Sicilian pastry.”
The cannolo wafer is crunchy, the inside is a sweet caress for the palate enriched with candied fruit, chocolate chips, vanilla and / or cinnamon flavor. The cannoli are usually decorated with powdered sugar and chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts) which is placed on the portion of filling that comes out of the wafer.
Tradition and Innovation
Even today, Caltanissetta holds the title of "Cannoli City", but despite its Nissene origins, the Sicilian cannoli is the protagonist of festivals and celebrations in other Sicilian towns, such as the one that takes place every year in Piana degli Albanesi.
One thing is certain, cannoli is not only the king of parties, but also an unmissable product in bars, bakeries and pastry shops.
Furthermore, its clear nature as a "street food" product has meant that, over the decades and since its earliest origins, the sweet recipe of Sicilian cannoli did not stop only in Sicily. It is above all thanks to the pastry chefs of Palermo and Messina that the cannolo has crossed the regional borders and spread all over the world. It has been transformed from a typical product of the Sicilian tradition into a true emblem of local culture at an international level.