Since everyone else seems to be doing it, I thought I’d post the recipe for one of my latest concoctions… one that doesn’t require throwing something in the microwave. A few weeks ago I noticed that my local grocery store, Kroger’s, sells cannoli shells. I kept it in the back of my mind and finally decided to do something with them when Martine came to visit this weekend. The recipe for the filling comes from the back of the cannoli shell box, but we modified it slightly (our additions in bold):
15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon (half as much as the box called for)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp almond extract
Mini-chocolate chips
6 cannoli shells
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta and sugar until well blended. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond extract. Mix well. Fill the cannoli shells using a ziploc bag with the corner clipped off. (Pastry bag? We don’t need no stinking pastry bag!) Top the ends with chocolate chips. Serve and enjoy.
The filling isn’t nearly as thick as Mike’s Pastries/Modern/Bova’s, but given that the North End is 760 miles away (according to Google maps), this will more than do in a pinch. Plus, I got three cannolis out of the deal. (Well, I did have to share with Martine and Alyson… couldn’t have all six.)
Oh, and if people are curious about the results of the real purpose of Martine’s visit, I now I own a pretty royal blue dress.