Italian Cannolis

 Italian Cannolis
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups white wine
If making chocolate ones, you'll also need
1/3 cup of cocoa and 1/4-1/2cup chopped nuts
Canola oil for frying

Filling can be whatever you like, even just sweetened whipped cream.
But this time, going more traditional including ricotta,

Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate ones, part off some of the filing, and add 1/3 cup of cocoa.

To make the shells, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Cut the butter into it. You're looking for the size of small peas as you work the butter.  Add egg yolks and stir with a fork.  Stir in the wine, 1 tbsp at a time until it starts to form a ball and the dough clings together.  Form into a bowl and let it stand for 30 minutes.

Roll dough very thin on a floured board.  Use a large 4 inch biscuit cutter or margarita glass and cut dough with top of glass or large cutter, then use a paring knife to cut all around the edge.  Wrap around a cannoli roller (shown below), overlapping the ends and press to seal.

Fry 1 or 2 at a time in 360 degree F oil for about 1 minute, turning to brown all sides.
Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.  Let cool for a few minutes before removing the tube.  You would do well to have 4 or more to continue cooking throughout the process.  To remove, hold down lightly on the cannoli shell, and slide the tube out.

Mix up the filling ingredients and fill with a piping bag.  This is one place the piping bag really comes in handy.  You can use a plastic ziplok bag and cut a small tip in one corner, but there is no substituting a piping bag in this case.

The regular ones are done.  For the chocolate ones, clean and fill the piping bag with the chocolate mixture, and when done, dip one end in the chopped nuts.