My Kitchen Rules: How to make Simone and Viviana’s ricotta & prawn cannoli salati

Ricotta & Prawn Cannoli Salati

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins

Makes: Approx. 16

Ingredients

16 large raw prawns, peeled, heads and shells reserved

1 bunch finely chopped chives, for dipping

Cannoli shells

• 250g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 60g lard, chopped
• Approx. 100ml water
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Prawn curing mixture

• 1 tbs caster sugar
• 3 tsp fine salt
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Prawn bisque

• 1 tbs olive oil
• Reserved prawn heads and shells
• 2 brown onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 stick celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 250ml dry white wine
• 60g tomato paste
• 2 litres fish stock
• 1/3 cup (80ml) thickened cream

Ricotta filling

• Cured prawn meat (as above)
• 300g ricotta
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbs finely chopped chives
• 2 tsp olive oil

Avocado cream

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 To make cannoli shells, place flour and salt in a processor. Pulse to combine. Add lard and process to form coarse crumbs. With motor operating, add enough water to form a dough. Lightly knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Shape into a disc and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 Meanwhile, to make curing mixture, combine all ingredients in a bowl.

3 Peel prawns, reserving heads and shells for the bisque. Cut prawns into 5mm pieces and add to curing mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Briefly rinse under running water. Pat dry.

4 To make prawn bisque, heat oil in a large saucepan or stock pot, over medium heat.

5 Add prawn heads and shells, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and garlic. Season generously.

6 Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing down to crush prawn heads, for 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

7 Add stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to lowest heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

8 Using a stick blender, blend bisque until smooth (alternatively, cool slightly and blend in a blender in small batches).

9 Strain mixture through a fine sieve, back into a clean pan, pushing down on solids, to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard solids.

10 Add cream to bisque and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, reduced and flavoursome. Season.

11 To make ricotta filling, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until required.

12 Divide rested cannoli dough into quarters. Pass quarters through a pasta machine on the widest setting, dusting dough with flour between rolls, increasing settings until about 1.5mm thick.

13 Using a round cutter, cut the dough into circles a little shorter than your cannoli moulds.

14 Gently stretch two sides of the circles until they form ovals the same length as your cannoli moulds. Wrap them around the moulds and press firmly on the overlap to seal. Brush join with a little egg white.

15 Deep fry in batches until dark golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Once cool enough to touch, remove cannoli from moulds.

16 To make avocado cream, mash or blend avocado, olive oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season.

17 Pipe ricotta filling into cannoli shells and dip ends in chopped chives.

18 Pipe or spoon avocado cream and prawn bisque onto serving plates. Add cannoli shells.

Tip

You will need cannoli tubes to make this dish.