cannoli filling
Content, on boston board, asked me for my cannoli filling recipe. I like ricotta but I also like it not very sweet and lightened with some whipped cream. I use homemade ricotta when I can (mine, Al Capone's or a vermont ricotta called Maple something (sorry, can't quite remember the name, carried at Whole Foods and other places) - I like a dry ricotta. For 12 shells I use two cups of ricotta, 2 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup of homemade whipped cream beaten with 1 tsp of lemon extract, two tablespoons of finely chopped good quality preserved lemon peel or sicilian cedar (a larger citrus fruit like a lemon). Beat the ricotta to soften it with the sugar, fold in the whipped cream and chopped citron. If your ricotta is a bit runny (very hard to find a good dry ricotta), you can add a 1/4 cup of mascarpone which seems to "stiffen" it up. When my grandkids come I fold in miniature dark chocolate chips to half the batch (I like mine lemony and without the chocolate). I have used other dried fruit, including finely chopped crystallized ginger and grated lemon rind. You can play with those additions but the ricotta cream is the most important ingredient, along with good crisp shells. Never fill until you are ready to serve. That's it.
