Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A fried pastry roll with a sweet creamy filling.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun tubes of fried pasta, filled with ricotta or similar cream cheese, and flavorings, eaten as a dessert; typical of Sicily.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, pl. of cannolo, tube, diminutive of canna, reed, from Latin; see cane.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Italian cannoli, little tubes.

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Examples

  • End your evening with one of seven homemade desserts: the raspberries with zabaglione are a sinfully rich concoction, while the cannoli is a creamy masterpiece.

    Fern Siegel: Stage Door: Chicago 2010

  • Holy cannoli, which is sort of anaculturalistic yes!

    Small Plates, Big Happy Sigh - Cobras and Matadors 2005

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Cassata cake, sometimes called cannoli cake in the U.S., combines layers of sponge cake with a chocolate - and fruit-studded filling, all covered with a thick frosting and garnished with candy or fruit.

    The Daily News - News 2010

Comments

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  • Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo, meaning “little tube�?, with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine.

    Cannoli consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese (or alternatively, but less traditionally, sweetened blended with some combination of vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, Marsala wine, rosewater or other flavorings.

    The versions Americans are most familiar with tend to involve variations on the original concept. This is possibly due to adaptations made by Italians who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1900s and discovered limited availability of certain ingredients. The cannoli sold in Italian-American bakeries today usually still contain ricotta, but mascarpone is a less common alternative. Sometimes the filling is a simple custard of sugar, milk, and cornstarch. In either case, the cream is often flavored with vanilla or orange flower water and a light amount of cinnamon. Chopped pistachios, semi-sweet chocolate bits, and candied citrus peel or cherries are often still included, dotting the open ends of the pastry. Chocolate sprinkles are sometimes used as a garnish for cannoli in the United States.

    _Wikipedia

    February 13, 2008

  • Mmm... cannoli. Also an ingredient in various euphemisms, such as holy cannoli and hide the cannoli.

    February 13, 2008

  • And this classic: "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

    February 13, 2008

  • reesetee: I came here for no other reason than to show off my knowledge of Godfather phrasology. I'm deflated.

    September 24, 2009

  • I would've left the cannoli and taken the gun. Or at least left the cannoli. I've never understood why people think cannoli is so good... Maybe I've never had the right kind, or something.

    September 24, 2009

  • Chained_bear, is the word cannoli singular in English? In Italian it's the plural of cannolo. (Cf. discussion on spaghetti alla bolognese.)

    September 24, 2009

  • In my experience, in English it's cannoli, even though it's really plural. Just as in English, one wouldn't say gnocco (more's the pity!). But maybe that's just me.

    I imagine Fat Clemenza, the character in "The Godfather," might have used it correctly (in the plural), however, as he probably grew up speaking Italian as well as English.

    September 24, 2009

  • If you look up cannolo on Wikiwhupper it redirects to cannoli. Which I did today, coincidentally, and it had nothing to do with this page. Fancy that.

    September 24, 2009

  • Ooh! Ooh! Go add it to Iroquoisy!

    September 24, 2009

  • Could I have one spaghetto, and one gnoccho please, to go? I'm in a hurry - have to go hear a performance of my favorite fun song, One Meatball. Follow the link and read the amusing lyrics - imagining the tune somewhat like that of The Cat Came Back (the very next day).

    September 24, 2009

  • I read that "one spaghettio" and got excited. Mmm, spaghettios and cannoli...or maybe just one cannolo, I don't want to overdo it.

    September 26, 2009

  • TSE: Many apologies--but I got here first. ;->

    CB: How can you not like cannoli? Why do you hate freedom?

    October 1, 2009

  • Umm... because it's ... barfy?

    Cannoli. Not freedom.

    October 1, 2009

  • Well, under the circumstances.... But have you considered that maybe you just haven't met the right cannoli?

    October 1, 2009

  • Not only have I not met the right cannoli, I have never met the right tiramisu.

    Let the horrified shouting begin.

    October 1, 2009

  • I've met both several times, and I'm perfectly willing to share.

    A little.

    October 1, 2009