More Decadent Desserts from The Star Sydney

How to make the perfect Italian Cannoli at home. Recipe created by Martino Pulito, Executive Chef at Cucina Porto.  

Is there anything that says celebration in Italy quite like cannoli?

For Martino Pulito, Executive Chef of The Star’s signature Italian restaurant, Cucina Porto, it’s a must-have for any family get-together. Here, Chef Martino shares the secrets behind his favourite recipe, filled with creamy whipped ricotta, crushed nuts and dark chocolate shards. 

Ingredients:

Dough 

• 250g plain flour 
• 30g caster sugar 
• 50g butter 
• 1 whole egg 
• 1 egg yolk 
• 50ml Marsala 
• 5g salt 
• 5g orange zest 
• 2g cinnamon 
• Vegetable oil 

Ricotta cream 

• 800g fresh ricotta 
• 400g icing sugar 
• 60ml spiced rum 
• Candied orange 
• Crushed pistachio 
• Crushed dark chocolate 

Garnish 

• Cinnamon 
• Icing sugar 
• Lemon balm 
• Maraschino cherry 
• Dark caramel (Cooked at 165 C ) 

Method:

To create cannoli shell 

1. Leave the butter at room temperature to become soft but not melted 

2. Sieve the flour with cinnamon and salt 

3. Put the flour on a clean bench and create a well 

4. In a separate bowl mix the butter, sugar,1 whole egg and orange zest 

5. Transfer the mixture in the middle of the flour 

6. Mix all ingredients together until it’s a crumble texture 

7. Then add marsala wine to taste and keep kneading for 10 minutes until it dough forms 

8. Rest the dough for two hours at room temperature 

9. Roll dough out with a rolling pin & using a pasta cutter, cut it into a 10cm circle 

10. Use a cannoli metal tube and wrap the pastry around the tube & use the egg yolk to attach the two ends 

11. Fry the pasty at 170 degrees oil – for a couple of minutes or until brown and crispy 

12. Remove and place on paper towel. 

To create filling 

1. Using your ricotta, place in a colander. Place a clean towel on top of the ricotta and add some weight onto the ricotta – to remove the excess water. Ensure this is done 24 hours prior. 

2. Once this is complete, mix with the other ingredients using spatula 

3. Once mixture is complete, add it into a piping bag and stuff the cannoli 

4. Add the garnishes on the end of the cannoli of your choosing 

To discover other Italian treats Chef Martino serves up on his Tasting Platter, visit Cucina Porto.