Cannoli

Cannoli (Italian: [kanˈnɔːli]; Sicilian: cannola [kanˈnɔːla]) are Italian pastries consisting of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta—a staple of Sicilian cuisine.[1][2] They range in size from 9 to 20 centimetres (3+1⁄2 to 8 in). In mainland Italy, they are commonly known as cannoli siciliani (Sicilian cannoli).

This article is about the Italian pastry dessert. For the Italian pasta dish, see Cannelloni. For the kidney bean, see Cannellini.
Cannoli
TypePastry
Place of originItaly
Region or stateSicily
Main ingredientsfried pastry dough, ricotta filling
VariationsKannoli (Malta)
Kanojët (Albania)
Cannoli topped with chopped pistachios, candied fruit and chocolate chips sprinkled with confectioner's sugar

Etymology

In English, cannoli is usually used as a singular, but in Italian, it is grammatically plural; the corresponding singular is cannolo (Italian: [kanˈnɔːlo]; Sicilian: cannolu [kanˈnɔːlʊ]), a diminutive meaning 'little tube', from canna, 'cane' or 'tube'.[3] This form is uncommon in English.[3]

History

Some food historians place the origins of cannoli in 827–1091 AD in Caltanissetta in Sicily, by the concubines of princes looking to capture their attention.[4]

Author Gaetano Basile merged this legend with other historical traditions to determine[5] that cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina[6] areas and were historically prepared as a treat during Carnival season, possibly as a fertility symbol.[7] The dessert eventually became a year-round staple in Sicily.

Some similar desserts in Middle Eastern tradition include "Zaynab's fingers" (أصابع زينب), which are filled with nuts,[8] and qanawāt (قنوات), deep-fried dough tubes filled with various sweets, which were a popular pastry across the ancient Islamic world. The dish and the name may originate from the Muslim Emirate of Sicily.[9] The minne di Sant'Agata or minni di virgini, cheese-filled half spheres with icing and fruit are shaped like a breast in honour of St Agatha. Feddi dû cancillieri ("chancellor's slices") are similar cream and apricot jam-filled almond cookies designed to look like the rear of a person.[10]

Similar desserts

See also

References
  1. Gangi, Robert (2006). "Cannoli". bestofsicily.com. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. "The Cannoli of Piana degli Albanesi". A Taste of Travel. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. "Cannoli". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. 2003. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  4. "History of Sicilian Cannoli. A Sweet Mystery". JustSicily. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  5. "The "spicy" history of cannoli Siciliani". Life in Italy. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. "30 cannoli siciliani perfetti per un tentativo di classifica definitiva". Scatti di Gusto (in Italian). 22 July 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. "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.
  8. Michael Krondl (2011). Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert. Chicago Review Press. p. 102. ISBN 9781556529542.
  9. Paul H. Freedman (2007). Food: The History of Taste (illustrated ed.). University of California Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780520254763.
  10. Petroni, Agostino. "The erotic origins of Italy's most famous sweet". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  • Media related to Cannoli at Wikimedia Commons
  • Cannoli at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject
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