Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

Add the lard and work with the hook of the planetary mixer. Only lastly add the salt. Work the dough for about fifteen minutes until it is very soft and very compact. Form a loaf and leave to rise, covered with a cloth, in the oven turned off with only the light on for about an hour it must double in volume:

Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

When the dough is ready, roll it out with a rolling pin into a not too thin sheet;

Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

Using a pastry wheel, cut out strips of dough and roll them delicately around the wooden or aluminum canes, making 3 turns. Place the parcels on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, cover again with a cotton cloth and let rise for about 1 hour;

Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

Fry, a little at a time, in plenty of peanut oil brought to a temperature of 160/170°C so that the Sicilian parcels are cooked perfectly both inside and out. In fact, too hot an oil would burn the outside but leave the inside raw. Fry the parcels, turning them often so that they are perfectly golden on all their surfaces. When they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and let them cool a little before removing the blowtorch, with gentle movements to rotate it;
Prepare the ricotta cream:
Drain the ricotta to eliminate excess water, then sift it into a fine mesh strainer, crushing the ricotta with a ladle and a spatula to eliminate all the lumps and obtain a soft cream, add the sugar) and mix well using a ladle until you obtain a creamy mixture. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours;
Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

Prepare the custard;
Boil the milk, pour the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk them with the sugar, add the sifted starch and whisk well;
Add 2 ladles of boiling milk, the lemon zest and mix;
Transfer the mixture into the remaining milk (which we left in the saucepan) and mix until it thickens;
Leave to cool, covered with cling film in contact with the cream;

Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

Fill the pastry bags with the ricotta cream and the custard and fill the cannoncini;
Pour the granulated sugar into a plate;
Roll the cannoncini well and delicately:
Transfer to a nice serving plate and… finally we can enjoy them!! exceptional;
Chef Nina Bellino

Pastry bags filled with custard and ricotta

NOTE
Store the parcels in the refrigerator for no more than a day in an airtight container.
Freezing is not recommended.