Homemade Fresh Egg Pasta and Fried Cannoli with Chocolate Ricotta

Ingredients

• 600 g 00 wheat flour (Divided: 400 g for the pasta, 200 g for the cannoli)
• 5 units Fresh eggs (4 for the pasta dough, 1 for the cannoli dough)
• 1 teaspoon Fine salt
• 2 units Shallots (Finely minced)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (For sautéing the shallots)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh chives (Cut into rounds)
• 1 tablespoon Honey (Replaces sugar in the cannoli dough)
• 1 liter Frying oil (sunflower or peanut) (For frying the cannoli)
• 8 units Bamboo sticks (or cannelloni tubes) (Used to shape the cannoli shells)
• 250 g Plain ricotta (For the filling)
• 50 g Dark chocolate (Melt and incorporate into the ricotta)
• 30 g Crushed pistachios (Decoration)
• 20 g Candied orange peel (Decoration)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta dough

   In a large bowl, combine 400 g of 00 flour, 4 eggs and the salt. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous and non‑sticky dough.

   Time: PT10M

2. Rest the pasta dough

   Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic film and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

3. Roll out the dough and let it dry slightly

   Divide the dough into two portions. Using a rolling pin, roll each portion very thin (about 1 mm). When you can see through the dough, it is ready. Let rest 20 minutes so it dries slightly.

   Time: PT20M

4. Cut the pappardelle

   Cut the rolled dough into strips about 1.5 cm wide. Keep the strips on a clean kitchen towel.

   Time: PT5M

5. Prepare the shallot sauce

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and sauté for 6 minutes until they become translucent. Stir in the chives and remove from heat.

   Time: PT6M

6. Cook the pappardelle

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook for 8 minutes until al dente. Drain and toss with the shallot sauce.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: boiling water

7. Prepare the cannoli dough

   In the same bowl, combine the remaining 200 g of 00 flour, the extra egg and 1 tablespoon of honey. Knead for 5 minutes until you obtain a firm dough.

   Time: PT5M

8. Form the cannoli shells

   Roll the dough very thin (≈1 mm). Cut strips 2 cm wide, then wrap each strip around a bamboo stick, leaving a finger‑width gap between the ends.

   Time: PT5M

9. Dry the shells

   Place the formed shells on a rack and let dry for 10 minutes at room temperature.

   Time: PT10M

10. Fry the cannoli

    Heat the frying oil to 180°C. Gently lower each shell into the hot oil; they rise to the surface in a few seconds. Fry for 2‑3 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 180°C

11. Prepare the chocolate‑ricotta filling

    In a bowl, mix the ricotta, melted dark chocolate, and a pinch of salt until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous consistency.

    Time: PT10M

12. Fill the cannoli

    Using a pastry bag or a small spoon, fill each shell with the chocolate‑ricotta mixture. Do not overfill to avoid overflow.

    Time: PT5M

13. Decorate

    Sprinkle the cannoli with crushed pistachios and place a few pieces of candied orange peel on top.

    Time: PT2M

14. Serve

    Serve the pappardelle tossed with the shallot sauce as the main course, then present the fried cannoli as dessert.

    Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

18 g

Carbohydrates

78 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of 00 wheat flour: All‑purpose flour
• Instead of Fresh eggs: Chicken eggs
• Instead of Fine salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Shallots: Sweet onion
• Instead of Olive oil: Vegetable oil
• Instead of Fresh chives: Flat parsley
• Instead of Honey: Sugar
• Instead of Frying oil (sunflower or peanut): Vegetable oil
• Instead of Bamboo sticks (or cannelloni tubes): Rolling pin
• Instead of Plain ricotta: Quark
• Instead of Dark chocolate: Cocoa powder
• Instead of Crushed pistachios: Sliced almonds
• Instead of Candied orange peel: Orange zest

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Cutting board
• Rolling pin
• Chef's knife or pasta cutter
• Pan or saucepan for sautéing
• Pot for cooking pasta
• Deep fryer or large deep pan
• Skimmer (frying skimmer)
• Silicone spatula (optional)
• Kitchen thermometer (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes to develop gluten.
• Let the dough rest 30 minutes before rolling.
• Roll the dough to a thickness of about 1 mm to obtain light pappardelle.
• Heat the oil to 180°C before frying the cannoli shells.
• Fill the cannoli just before serving to keep them crisp.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly dust the dough surface with cornmeal before rolling to prevent sticking.
• For a more golden color, add a pinch of sweet paprika to the cannoli dough.
• Use 70 % cocoa chocolate for a richer flavor in the filling.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Cooked pasta keeps 2 days in the refrigerator. Filled cannoli can be kept 1 day, but the shell will lose its crunch.

Freezer: Unfilled cannoli shells freeze for 1 month; fill after thawing.

Room temperature: Do not leave the cannoli at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The pasta dough can be prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
• The chocolate‑ricotta filling keeps 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• The cannoli shells can be fried ahead and stored in an airtight container; fill them just before serving.