Dear Sun Spots: The next 10-week program for Grieving Children and Teens will start March 8 at St. Philip’s Church, Route 4, Auburn. Preregistration is required. For more information, please call (207) 777-7740, ext. 1302. The program provides support for children and teenagers who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, relative or friend and is offered free of charge. It is open to youths ages 3 to 18 from Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. It is co-sponsored by Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. – No Name, No Town.

Dear Sun Spots: I was curious to know what cannoli are and how they are made. Can you please furnish a recipe please? – No Name, Lewiston.

Answer: The origins of cannoli lie on the Italian island Sicily in the Mediterranean. As with Sicilian cassata, Sicilian cannoli probably date back to the time of Arab dominion. They are traditionally prepared for festivities at carnival time (Though now, they’re to be found year round.); they consist of a fried rolled-up wafer, filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, candied fruit and chocolate drops. They should be eaten when just made. Also essential, the filling must be inserted into the shells shortly before they’re sold, otherwise they’re not crunchy. It’s this contrast between the filling and the shell that makes these little pastries so delicious.

Named for its pipe-like shape and intended as a treat at Carnevale, cannoli spread through Italy and were eventually a fixture in almost every pastry shop. The dough is rolled and shaped around a metal cylinder, then deep fried. When cool, the crisp cookie-like tubes are filled. In one classic version, the dough is made from flour, sugar, egg white, bitter cocoa, powdered coffee, Marsala wine, brandy, salt and a tiny amount of lard, and candied pumpkin and orange are used in the filling. The origins of cannoli, also called Turkish hats, can be traced back to the Saracens or even to pre-Christian times.

Hopefully you and your family will enjoy the following recipe from www.cooks.com: Italian-pastry cannoli. Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons shortening, 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¾ cup Marsala, Burgundy or Chablis wine.

Method: Combine flour, shortening, sugar and salt and wet gradually with the wine. Knead together with fingers until a hard dough is formed. Form into a ball, cover with a cloth and let stand for about an hour. Cut dough in half and roll half the dough into a thin sheet about ¼-inch thick or less and cut into a 4-inch square. Place a metal tube diagonally across each square from one point to another, wrapping dough around by overlapping the other two points, sealing the overlapping points with a little egg white. Meanwhile heat vegetable oil in a large deep pan for deep frying. Drop 1 or 2 tubes at a time into the hot oil and fry gently on all sides until dough acquires a golden brown color.

Cannoli filling. Ingredients: 2 pounds of ricotta cheese (must be dry), 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 teaspoon cinnamon oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 ounces miniature bittersweet chocolate morsels and a dash of orange flavoring.

Method: Beat cream cheese until very creamy. Beat ricotta vigorously for 2 minutes. Blend the cheeses together and add sugar, cinnamon oil, vanilla and orange flavoring plus chocolate morsels. Cover and refrigerate for at least half hour before filling the shells. Filling will keep at least three days in refrigerator.

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