Cannoli

For the pastry

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
• 3 tbsp dry white wine or Marsala, as needed
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the filling

• 12oz (350g)ricotta cheese
• ½ cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for sifting
• 2oz (60g) bittersweet chocolate, grated or very finely chopped
• finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/3 cup finely chopped candied orange and/or lemon peel

Prepare ahead

The fried shells can be stored at room temperature and the filling chilled for up to 8 hours before filling and serving.

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Beat the egg and add to the flour mixture. Stir, adding enough wine to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured work surface until smooth.

2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until less than 1/8 in (3mm) thick. Cut into 16 × 3in (7.5cm) squares. Beat the egg white until foamy. Dust 4 cannoli tubes with flour. Wrap a pastry square loosely around each tube, with the points facing east-west. Dampen the overlapping pastry with egg white and press together to seal.

3. Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to come halfway up the sides and heat over to 350°F (180°C) on a deep-frying thermometer. Add the cannoli and fry for 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. While the first batch cools, repeat with 4 more tubes and pastry squares. When cool enough to handle, carefully twist and pull the metal tubes out of the cannoli shells. Repeat to make 16 cannoli shells.

4. To make the filling, mix together ricotta, confectioner's sugar, candied peel, chocolate, and orange zest. Spoon the filling into the shells. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve immediately.