Cannoli - wikipedia Cannoli Not to be confused with Cannelloni or Cannellini. Cannoli A basic cannolo lightly sprinkled with confectioner 's sugar Alternative names Cannolo, singular Type Pastry Place of origin Italy Region or state Sicily Main ingredients fried pastry dough, ricotta filling Variations Kannoli ( Malta ) Cookbook : Cannoli Media : Cannoli Cannoli on display Cannoli ( Italian pronunciation : ( kanˈnɔːli ) ; Sicilian : cannula ) are Italian pastries of the Sicily region. The Italian singular is cannolo ( ( kanˈnɔːlo ) ; in the Sicilian language cannolu ), meaning `` little tube '' but in English, cannoli is usually used as a singular, and cannolo is rare. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian - American cuisine. In Italy, they are commonly known as `` cannoli siciliani '', Sicilian cannoli. Cannoli consist of tube - shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta. They range in size from `` cannulicchi '', no bigger than a finger, to the fist - sized proportions typically found south of Palermo, Sicily, in Piana degli Albanesi. Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 References 4 External links Etymology Cannolo is a diminutive of canna ' cane or tube '. History Cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina areas and were historically prepared as a treat during Carnevale season, possibly as a fertility symbol. The dessert eventually became a year - round staple throughout Italy. Some similar desserts in Middle Eastern tradition include Zainab 's fingers, which are filled with nuts, and qanawāt, deep fried dough tubes filled with various sweets, which were a popular pastry across the Islamic world at the time, from Al - Andalus to Iraq. The dish and the name may have survived from the Muslim Emirate of Sicily. References Jump up ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition, 2003 s.v. Jump up ^ Gangi, Robert ( 2006 ). `` Cannoli ''. bestofsicily.com. Retrieved 15 May 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` The Cannoli of Piana degli Albanesi ''. A Taste of Travel. Retrieved 15 October 2014. Jump up ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition, 2003, s.v. ) Jump up ^ `` Scatti di gusto - 30 cannoli siciliani perfetti per un tentativo di classifica definitiva ''. Scatti di Gusto. Retrieved 15 October 2014. Jump up ^ Michael Krondl ( 2011 ). Sweet Invention : A History of Dessert. Chicago Review Press. p. 102. ISBN 9781556529542. Jump up ^ Paul H. Freedman ( 2007 ). Food : The History of Taste ( illustrated ed. ). University of California Press. p. 159. ISBN 9780520254763. 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Question: what cheese is used to make the sicilian dessert cannoli
Answer: ricotta