Recipe by Stephanie Nass
Photo courtesy of Stockton Johnson

I was determined to create a pasta-derived dessert to surprise and delight. I thought of cannoli, a dessert beloved by my family, best bought on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx or Mulberry Street in Lower Manhattan.

It occurred to me that rigatoni’s wide tubular shape is similar to cannoli. Bam! Fried rigatoni could become the cannoli tube, filled with sweetened ricotta and cocoa powder.

Makes about 30 cannoli; serves 8

Instructions:

1. Cook the rigatoni in a pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. Once tender, drain the pasta. Set aside pieces that have broken. Blot the winners dry with paper towels. Roll them in about a tablespoon of oil so that they don’t stick together.
2. Heat 1 inch oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Line a large plate with paper towels. Gradually, add the rigatoni noodles, so as to not overcrowd the pan, and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels. Add more oil to the pan, if needed, and continue frying the remaining pasta.
3. In a shallow bowl or on a small plate, use a fork to combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar.
4. While the rigatoni is still warm, roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture, shaking off excess. Place on a clean plate and continue to roll the remaining pasta.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and confectioners’ sugar until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag using a rubber spatula. Snip the tip of the piping bag and fill each rigatoni with the ricotta mixture.
6. Set the filled cannoli on a serving platter. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder and serve.