The Cannoli and It’s Rich History

Italian Restaurants In West Boca Raton

Besides tiramisu, is there any other Italian dessert as popular as the cannoli? The cannoli, the singular version being cannolo, is a Silician dessert that is believed to have come from the Palmero and Messina regions. Meaning “little tube” in Sicilian, the cannoli ranges in size from “cannulicchi”, which is no bigger than a finger to the fist-sized portions typically found in Palermo. Cannoli making is serious business in Sicily and for bakers, the quality and standards of their bakery can be judged solely on the basis of how good their cannoli is. As a strong symbol representing Italian heritage, the cannoli has a unique and rich history possibly dating back to the presence of the Moors in Sicily.

History Of The Cannoli

The history of the cannoli is a reflection of the variety of cultures and people that, throughout the centuries, have inhabited Sicily. As a staple of Sicilian cuisine, many people believe the cannoli originated in Sicily in Piana Degli Albanesi, but this traditional Italian dessert may possibly be traced back during the Arabic rule of the island, also known as the Emirate of Sicily. There are two tales surrounding the origin of cannolis. The first one takes place in an Arab prince’s harem inside his castle during the Arabic domination of the island. The emir’s many concubines spent their time creating luscious meals and delicious desserts, among them a cylinder-shaped pastry case filled with ricotta, almonds, and honey. The second tale takes place in a convent, outside of the castle, where nuns concocted a new type of pastry made of a shell called “scoria” with a filling of ricotta, sugar, chocolate, and almonds to celebrate Carnevale, which is a celebration that takes place in all of Italy before Lent begins.  

Whether it was concubines or nuns, historians believe that both legends have a seed of the truth and that the creation of the cannoli took place in or around the city of Caltanissetta between 827 and 1091. Historians also believe that this delicious dessert was also made by women. Many of the ingredients used in a cannoli are also of Arabic origin like sugar cane and almonds.

Traditional Cannoli Recipes

A traditional cannoli recipe consists of a tube-shaped shell of fried pastry dough, filled with sweet and creamy ricotta, candied fruit, and chocolate filling. The creamy, slightly tangy flavor of the ricotta is mellowed out by the sweet delicacy of the sugar and chocolate, while the crunchiness of the fried, light shell brings out this amazing symphony of flavors and textures.

Cannoli Recipe Variations

Italians immigrating to America during the early 1900s made adaptions to the original cannoli recipe due to the limited availability of certain ingredients like sheep’s milk ricotta so mascarpone was used instead. Today, there are many variations to the traditional cannoli recipe including chocolate, strawberry, and pecan caramel.

Cannolis Near Me

If you have been on the hunt for an authentic Italian cannoli in the South Florida area, then look no further because Cannoli Kitchen has got the hookup. Cannoli Kitchen is one of the best Italian restaurants in Boca Raton serving authentic Italian cuisine. We also specialize in making homemade traditional Italian desserts like cannolis, tiramisu, and cheesecake. To order your Boca Raton Italian food, call us today at 561-955-8880.

Italian Catering In Boca Raton Is Your Solution For The Holidays

italian catering in boca raton

The holidays can be an exciting time when family and friends get together and eat delicious food, but it can also be a stressful and overwhelming situation for the person who decides to host everyone. This year, ditch the hassle and try Cannoli Kitchen’s Italian catering in Boca Raton and the surrounding area. Cannoli Kitchen is a family-owned and run Italian restaurant in Boca Raton that specializes in catering authentic Italian food.

Our professional Italian catering services are the perfect solution for this holiday season because we can deliver food to any location. Whether you are having a small private party of 10 guests at your home or a large corporate party of 50 at the office, we can accommodate any sized holiday event. Depending on the catering setup, chafer stands and wireframes are also available. We can also provide complimentary serving trays, serving utensils, plastic flatware, plates and chafing fuel are also available at no extra charge.

Italian Catering For Corporate Holiday Parties

Having a corporate holiday event and need to figure out the food situation? Let Cannoli Kitchen take care of the logistics. Our Italian catering services will come straight to your office and provide delicious, authentic Italian food. At Cannoli Kitchen, we want to make event planning easy, that is why we have created catering bundles for the holiday lunch for large corporations to small, local businesses. With choices like the Pizza and Sub Party, The Executive Sandwich Platter and the Pizza and Pasta Party bundles, your guests will be coming back for seconds. Don’t forget to add dessert with our original cannoli platter or delicious homemade cakes like tiramisu and limoncello mascarpone.

Italian Catering For Small Private Parties

Italian catering in Boca Raton is the perfect solution for private holiday parties. Our party platters provide the perfect amount of food for your guests. Our private party catering service allows guests to sample a bit little of everything. Let your guests enjoy the freshest vegetables, premium meats, and cheeses with options like our buffalo wing, fresh vegetable, and salumi formaggio platters.

Italian Catering For Christmas Dinner

Catering Christmas dinner is great for family gatherings because it frees up time to spend with each other. With Cannoli Kitchen, you have the freedom to customize your party’s menu. Choose from our delicious catering menu of Italian classics like baked ziti marinara, baked meat lasagna, and chicken or veal parmigiana. We also have vegetarian options like eggplant parmigiana, shrimp scampi and an array of fresh salads. This holiday season, let our professional chefs do all of the cooking so that you can enjoy being relaxed with the family.

Try The Best Italian Catering In Boca Raton

Cannoli Kitchen is dedicated to providing the best Italian catering in Boca Raton and the surrounding area. We guarantee great tasting, authentic Italian food prepared on the premises from the highest quality of fresh ingredients. Let us take care of the holidays with our renowned catering service. To have us cater your holiday party, give us a call at our west Boca Raton location at 561-955-8880.

Cannoli Kitchen’s Top Five Classic Italian Food Dishes

Italian Restaurants In West Boca Raton

When it comes to picking Italian food favorites, the list can be endless. At Cannoli Kitchen, we take pride in cooking some of the best Boca Raton Italian food out there. From lasagna and pasta bolognese to pizza and cannolis, we have all of the Italian classics.

Lasagna

An Italian favorite, lasagna originated in Italy during the Middle Ages from the city of Naples. The first recorded lasagna recipe was written down in the early 14th century in an ancient Italian cookbook, making it possibly the oldest known form of pasta. There is a theory that the word lasagna or lasagne may come from the Greek word “laganon”, which means a flat sheet of pasta dough cut into strips. Our delicious lasagna is baked to perfection and made with a homemade ground beef meat sauce and ricotta cheese.

Pasta Bolognese

Another Italian classic, bolognese sauce, which in Italian is called ragu, is a meat-based sauce that has its origins in Bologna, Italy. The first written record of pasta bolognese appears in a cookbook published in 1891. Cannoli Kitchen’s pasta bolognese has one of the best homemade meat sauces served with traditional tagliatelle.

Lobster Ravioli

The earliest mention of ravioli can be found in letters from a merchant of Prato in Tuscany, Italy, in the 14th century. Traditionally, ravioli was made at home and the filling varied depending on the area they were prepared in. Our traditional lobster filled ravioli is served with a tomato cream sauce and diced shrimp.

Pasta Salsicce

Pasta Salssice, also known as “ragu alla Salsiccia”, is a tomato-based meat sauce cooked with sausage and served with pasta. At Cannoli Kitchen, we make our pasta Salssice with sweet Italian sausage, sauteed onions and peppers in a tomato cream sauce served over rigatoni.

Capellini Pomodoro

Capellini literally means little hairs in Italian and is a very thin variety of Italian pasta. It is often presented in a nest-like shape and has been popular in Italy since the 14th century. Our Capellini Pomodoro is a classic made with angel hair pasta, fresh tomatoes, basil, and tomato sauce.

If you are looking for the best Boca Raton Italian food, then try one of Cannoli Kitchen’s Italian classics. Whether you are ordering for delivery, takeout or using our excellent catering services, we make all of our Italian food with the highest quality of ingredients. Try one of our classic Italian dishes by calling 561-955-8880.