The other week, a friend and I were walking along in Trastevere. We passed a pastry shop with cannoli displayed in the window (along with other sweet treats). What else could we do but stop and drool over the yummy desserts? While we were stopped, my friend confessed that not only had he never tasted cannoli, but he only learned what they were a few days before from a tourist asking about them. What?! This news stopped me in my tracks. How could this be possible? He has lived in Rome for almost 10 years now, and although cannoli are Sicilian pastries, not Roman, I still could hardly believe the news he had just delivered to my ears.
For those of you like my friend, and are also not familiar, let me explain a little about the yummy cannoli. Cannoli (cannolo = singular), means ‘little tube’. They have a crunchy tube-like shell made of fried pastry dough, and are filled with a mixture of creamy, sweet ricotta. They are usually dusted with confectioner’s or powdered sugar. You can find them in a variety of ways with different toppings at the ends. The most common are with crushed pistachios, small chocolate chips or chocolate shavings, candied fruit or cherries.I made it my mission to find an authentic Sicilian pastry shop. Turns out, there was one located right in the heart of Trastevere. Mission accomplished! The secret to authentic cannoli is that they are filled with ricotta once you place your order. They are fresh, and not prefilled sitting on display. Needless to say, he enjoyed it immensely, and I can now rest easy knowing he has had a proper cannoli experience.
The Sicilian pastry shop I found in Trastevere is Ciuri Ciuri. Each regular size cannolo is €2,30. As you can see above, the cannoli are not prefilled. When you order, you can choose between regular ricotta filling, chocolate cream or pistachio cream. We had one with regular ricotta and one with chocolate cream, both topped with chopped pistachio. Both delicious! So delicious, my friend has already asked when we can return to get another cannolo. Apparently my cannoli mission was not only accomplished, but it was a success. 🙂
Ciuri Ciuri
Piazza San Cosimato, 49/B
Open: Every day from 9.30 AM – Midnight
Telephone: 06 9521 6082
There are three other locations throughout Rome, and you can check their website for other locations and opening times.
Please take me here in a few weeks!!!!! YUM to the O!
Sounds like a plan!! The perfect energy boost for walking around the city and shopping. 🙂
My mouth is watering! Oh how I love Cannolis!!! I would eat them everyday if I could. The only good place we had in Florence(at least that I know of) is gone:( I’m sure your husband is now a changed man after trying these!
Sounds good.