Making the Cannoli wafers

In a bowl mix the flour, cocoa, the sugar, salt, and cold lard.

Lightly beat the egg, add 10 g to the mixture and set aside the rest for brushing the cannoli later).

Pour in the marsala and vinegar.

Begin to knead with your hands, then pour the mixture onto a work surface and knead for about 10 minutes until you have a homogenous and smooth mixture.

Cover in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Take the mixture out of the fridge 30 minutes before use and leave it at room temperature.

Unwrap the dough and lightly four both sides.

Flatten the dough with your hands and insert it into the rollers of your pasta machine at its widest setting. If the dough tears, don’t worry, just reshape it and repeat.

As soon as it is very compact, fold the two ends inwards and pass it through the pasta machine again, starting at the widest setting. Repeat this process 3-4 times turning the dough in the opposite directed each time.

As soon as it is smoother, fold the dough in half (instead of two folds) and pass it between the rollers another 3-4 times.

Fold the dough over the short side (halving its height) and pass it between the rollers again.

Gradually lower the thickness of your pasta machine and continue rolling out the pasta. If you notice that the sheet is getting too long, divide it evenly before processing using a knife.

Keep rolling the dough until you reach number 8 on your machine or the setting that corresponds to a thickness of 0.5 mm. All these steps serve to form the bubbles during the cooking.

Once the sheet has reached the correct thickness (0.5 mm), you can divide it in half for practicality. Trim the edges and with a smooth blade cutter, cut 10 x 10 cm squares out of the dough.

Take each square of dough in your hand, slide your thumbs from the center outwards to enlarge it slightly and delicately.

In the middle, place a cannoli cylinder that goes from one corner to the other.

Warp a piece of dough on the cylinder, brush the remaining edge with the remaining egg and overlap it with the other. Continue this process for all of the dough. It is important the cannoli remain on the air for a while before cooking.

Heat the oil to 180ºC (use a thermometer to measure the temperature).

Start frying the cannoli, one at a time, placing them on a slotted spoon and keeping them immersed for a few moments on the spoon before releasing them. Cook for about 1 minute, turning them continuously.

Drain the cannoli and transfer them to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

Let them cool before removing the cylinder. Once removed, keep them aside until they cool completely and prepare the filling in the meantime.

Filling the Sicilian Cannoli

Sift the ricotta into a bowl and combine with the sugar with a spatula. Keep mixing until smooth.

Add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Transfer to a sac-à poche and use it to fill the cannoli.

Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving your cannoli.