Black Pepper Dill Pancetta Cannoli with Currants

 

Cannoli (Italian: [kanˈnɔːli]) are Italian pastries consisting of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling containing ricotta—a staple of Sicilian cuisine. They range in size from 9 to 20 centimeters (3+¹⁄₂ to 8 in). In mainland Italy, they are commonly known as cannoli siciliani (Sicilian cannoli).

 

Some food historians place the origins of cannoli in 827–1091 in Caltanissetta in Sicily, by the concubines of princes looking to capture their attention^] This period marks the Arab rule of the island, known then as the Emirate of Sicily, giving rise to the theory that the etymology stemmed from the Arabic word qanawāt meaning ‘tubes’ in reference to their tube-shaped shells.

When I think “cannoli,” I think dessert – sweet creamy pistachio and crispy fried.
It’s the Americanized “manicotti” that comes to mind when I visualize large, baked, tubular savory pasta (😋).

 

Neither memories nor descriptions can be applied when it comes to this recipe.
The base is actually a savory-peppered “pie crust” baked around a mold to form the “tube” cylinder and then filled with a mostly savory, but somewhat sweet filling of crispy pancetta, whipped cream cheese, black pepper and dill, and a sprinkling of dried currants. 
WOWZA!

 

This one is a keeper!

 

*Bonus points if you can figure out a way to bake the crusts cylindrically, and remove the internal form, without breaking the crust! Good luck!

  

Black Pepper Dill Pancetta Cannoli with Currants 

Black Pepper Pie Crust:
8 Tbs. butter, ice cold
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2-3 Tbs. water, ice cold

 

Filling:
4 oz. uncured pancetta, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
1 Tbs. fresh dill, finely chopped
2 Tbs. dried currants

fresh dill + dried currants + black pepper for garnish

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

 

Combine all the crust ingredients, except for the water, in the bowl of a food processor.

 

Pulse until crumbly. Drizzle in the water and pulse until beady and doughy.

Transfer the dough beads to parchment paper and form into a disc. 

 

Roll out into a round of about 1/4″ depth.

Cut out 3-4″ mini rounds.

Wrap around an oven-safe cylinder form (I used foil mounds).

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool for several minutes before carefully removing the center mound.

 

Meanwhile, cook the pancetta over medium heat in a large skillet or pot until crispy – stirring often.

 

In a large bowl, mix together the whipped cream cheese, cooked pork, pepper, dill, and currants.

 

Once the baked cannelloni molds have cooled, spoon in the sweet and savory filling.

 

To serve, top with fresh dill, currants, and black pepper. YUMMY!