cannoli pie

Vanilla or Chocolate?

Either one creates a crust that’s a worthy partner for smooth sweet cannoli cream.

This is a great recipe to keep in your I-need-a-good-dessert-but-I-don’t-have-a-lot-of-time toolbox. Throw some store-bought cookies into a food processor, or put them in a zip bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Add melted butter and a little white sugar, and mix with a fork. Press into a pie plate and bake for a few minutes.

But with that said, you’ll need to plan ahead to make the filling. Unless you have a fancy Italian deli that makes fresh ricotta in your neighborhood, the ricotta you’ll find will not be dry enough to make cannoli filling.  Use whole milk ricotta from the supermarket and strain it overnight in the fridge. Then it will be perfect to use. You can make your own ricotta, but I promised you a fast dessert!

Many people use confectioner’s sugar in their cannoli cream, but I find that superfine sugar will produce a better texture. In a pinch, you can throw some regular white granulated sugar into a food processor and give it a serious wizzz.

Less is more. Don’t over-stir the mixture or your filling will become loose.

Often, but not always, cannoli cream contains mini dark chocolate chips. I love them, but again, less is more. They should be an occasional treat to discover in the filling.

In leu of the chocolate, cannoli cream is often studded with bits of candied fruit. Most supermarkets don’t carry high quality candied fruit. I do like bits of candied orange, lemon, and citron but I didn’t have any on hand. Adding just a touch of finely grated orange peel to the mix brought the spirit of dried citrus to the table, so to speak. And orange pairs so well with chocolate that I had to go with both.

The ends of cannolis are often dipped in crushed pistachios. That’s always a yes for me. I like to sprinkle a circle of crushed pistachios around the top of the pie.

As for the cookies, you can go for one of the major commercial brands. Or, if you prefer, all-natural brands are available. I like the ones from Whole Foods.

All pie plates are not created equal. I just love those pretty ceramic plates, but they’re not always the best for baking. This one is my go-to. It’s sturdy, the crust browns evenly, and it never sticks. And, it won’t break the bank.

How to Strain the Ricotta

Set a fine mesh strainer over a small mixing bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Spoon the ricotta into the strainer. Or, check out these reusable nylon mesh strainers. They’re super cheap, reusable, and do the job of both strainer and cheesecloth.

Cover the strainer with plastic wrap and put the whole kit into the fridge. Let it rest there for at least 8 hours. Toss the liquid that’s accumulated in the bowl. Your ricotta is ready to use.

Cannoli Pie

For the crust

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla or chocolate cookie crumbs

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.

• Combine all of the above in a bowl. Mash well with a fork and press into a 9 inch pie plate. It’s important to press the crust well so that it holds together. I use the back of a measuring cup to press down the crumbs.

• Bake the crust for 10 minutes and allow to cool to room temperature. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour before filling.

For The Filling

Ingredients:

• 16 oz whole milk ricotta, strained for at least 8 hours

• 8 oz mascarpone

• ½ cup superfine sugar

• 1–2 teaspoons orange zest

• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)

• ½ cup mini dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup finely crushed pistachios

Method:

• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone with the vanilla paste until it’s creamy and fluffy. This shouldn’t take more than a minute or two. It might seem hardly worth it to have to wash the mixer, but it’s an important step.

• Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the strained ricotta, the sugar, the orange zest, and the chocolate chips with a silicone spatula or large spoon. Don’t over-mix the cannoli cream, just stir gently until everything is well combined.

• Gently spoon the filling into your pie crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios in a ring around the top.

• Chill the Cannoli Pie in the fridge until ready to serve.