RECIPE:

Ingredients for shells: cannoli shells, neutral oil for frying.

Ingredients for filling: ricotta cheese, mascarpone or cream cheese, powdered sugar, pistachio paste or finely ground pistachios, butter-pecan flavoring or toasted pecans with brown butter, vanilla optional.

Finish: melted chocolate, chopped pistachios, and powdered sugar.

Step one: Dry the ricotta. Place ricotta in a sieve and drain for at least thirty minutes. Removing excess water keeps the filling thick so it does not soften the shell.

Step two: Build the filling. In a bowl, mix ricotta with mascarpone or cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, pistachio paste, and butter-pecan flavor. Mix gently. Overmixing breaks fat structure and makes it loose.

Step three: Chill hard. Chill the filling for at least twenty ...