Sfogliatella

Sfogliatella is a traditional Italian pastry that has been enjoyed for centuries. The flavor is unique, and the texture is light and airy, making it a favorite among those who have tried it.

Brief History and Origin

The origin of Sfogliatella dates back to the 16th century in Naples, Italy. The nuns of Santa Rosa Convent initially created it in Conca Dei Marini to honor Saint Rosa, who was known for her charity and kindness. The name “sfogliatella” comes from the word “sfoglia,” which means “layer.” This refers to the many layers of pastry dough that make up this delicious treat.

Sfogliatella – The Recipe

• Preparation Time: 1 hr
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Additional Time: 5 hrs
• Total time: 6 hrs 30 mins
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 350g bread flour
• 150g semolina flour
• 1 ½ tbsp. kosher salt
• 190ml water
• 20ml honey

For the Filling

• 14 ⅔ oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 235ml water
• 200 white sugar
• 112g semolina flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon, ground
• 2 tbsp. candied orange peel, finely chopped

For the Brushing

• 120ml unsalted butter
• 120ml lard, room temperature
• 25g confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

For the Dough

1. In a large bowl, add bread flour, semolina flour, and salt, mix well, then add honey and water, and mix until everything combines, the dough will be dry, and it will look like pasta.
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for a few minutes until firm, consistent and sticky. When the dough is ready, divide it into four equal portions and flat using your hands.
3. Make the pasta machine’s widest setting and pass the dough a dozen times while folding the sheet in half and rotating it at 45 degrees each time. Then wrap the dough in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

For the Filling

• In a food processor, add ricotta cheese and process until consistent; set aside. Pour water into a saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, and heat until sugar dissolves, then add semolina and whisk until there are no clumps and thicken.
• Then decrease the heat to low and add ricotta cheese; cook for two more minutes while stirring continuously. Remove from heat, transfer the mixture to the food processor, and start processing. Add egg yolks, one by one, until thoroughly combined.
• Then add cinnamon, vanilla, and candied orange peel, and keep processing until everything combines well. Remove from food processor and leave to cool until room temperature, then cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator.
• Place a kitchen towel on the work surface. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, divide it into four equal portions and place it on the kitchen towel.
• Pass each dough portion through the pasta machine on increasingly smaller settings until as thin as possible. Then stretch it as wide as possible, and you can see through it, avoiding tearing.
• Melt lard and butter. Add a layer of parchment paper on the work surface and lay one sheet of pastry, brush with lard-butter mixture. Then lay the second pastry sheet while overlapping ½” with the first sheet.
• Start rolling the sheet into a tight cylinder, leaving ½” sheet to overlap the next sheet. Lay the third sheet while overlapping the second, brush with the lard-butter mixture, and roll until all the sheets are coated with the lard-butter mixture and tightly rolled.
• Finally, roll the log into parchment paper and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Prepare the oven and preheat it to 200 degrees C. also, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, transfer the filling mixture to the pastry bag and snip off the corner.
• Take the dough log out of the refrigerator and cut it into ½” slices. Flatten the dough piece from the center outward using your thumbs while holding it in both hands. Then flatten the slice to make a cone shape. Finally, pipe the filling mixture into the center and close it partly.
• Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven; bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the color turns golden brown. When ready, remove from oven, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve. 

Popular variations

Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:

• Steven’s Chocolate & Ginger Sfogliatelle: The layered pastry spiced up with ginger and chocolate filled with rich and sweet ricotta is delicious and flaky. We love the sweet buttery richness it brings to breakfast and teatime.
• Chocolate And Orange Sfogliatelle: The flaky seashell pastry filled with chocolate and orange is delicious. Orange and chocolate are a classic combination; no doubt it shines through the flaky pastry.
• Sfogliatelle samosas with green tea ice cream and berry sauce: inspired by the Indian and Pakistani Samosas, these sweet Sfogliatelle samosas are served with tangy berry sauce and green tea ice cream for slight creaminess.
• Italian Sfogliatelle Pastries with Strawberries: This version has layers of flaky pastry, mascarpone cheese, and strawberries coated with apricot jam. It is tangy, sweet, and crunchy.
• Homemade Strawberry Sfoglia Cake: inspired by Sfogliatelle, this Sfoglia cake has layers of puff pastry with Chantilly cream, strawberry jello, and fresh strawberries. We love how everything comes together into a delicious mess.