Cannoli


Cannoli are Italian pastries that originated on the island of Sicily and are today a staple of Sicilian cuisine. Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta. They range in size from no bigger than a finger, to the large versions typically found south of Palermo, in Piana degli Albanesi.
In mainland Italy, they are commonly known as cannoli siciliani.

Etymology

Cannolo is a diminutive of canna, 'cane' or 'tube'.
In Italian, cannoli is grammatically plural; the corresponding singular is cannolo, meaning "little tube". In English, cannoli is usually used as a singular, and cannolo is rare.

History

Cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina areas and were historically prepared as a treat during Carnevale season, possibly as a fertility symbol. The dessert eventually became a year-round staple in Sicily.
Some similar desserts in Middle Eastern tradition include Zainab's fingers, which are filled with nuts, and qanawāt, deep fried dough tubes filled with various sweets, which were a popular pastry across the ancient Islamic world. The dish and the name may originate from the Muslim Emirate of Sicily.