Cannoli

Steps

1. 1
   The night before, tip the ricotta into a sieve lined with a clean cloth, set it over a bowl and leave it to drain in the fridge overnight.
2. 2
   Mix the flour, caster sugar, cocoa, cinnamon and salt, rub in the butter, then add the egg and Marsala and knead for 5 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. Wrap and rest for 1 hour.
3. 3
   Roll the dough out very thinly, about 1.5 mm, ideally through a pasta machine. Cut 10 cm circles, stretch each into a slight oval and wrap it loosely around a metal cannoli tube, sealing the overlap with egg white.
4. 4
   Heat the oil in a deep pan to 175°C. Fry the shells three or four at a time for 1–2 minutes, until deep golden and covered in small blisters.
5. 5
   Lift them out onto kitchen paper and slide the tubes out while the shells are still warm, holding them in a cloth. Leave to cool completely.
6. 6
   Beat the drained ricotta with the icing sugar until smooth (push it through a sieve for the silkiest cream), then fold in the chocolate chips and candied peel. Chill until needed.
7. 7
   Fill the shells no more than an hour before serving, because the ricotta softens the pastry. Pipe the cream in from both ends through a wide nozzle.
8. 8
   Dip both ends in the chopped pistachios and dust with icing sugar.