Description
Italian sfogliatelle are traditional Neapolitan pastries featuring crisp, flaky layered dough filled with a creamy sweet ricotta and semolina filling, flavored with candied citrus. A beautiful and rewarding pastry best enjoyed fresh from the oven.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup water (for filling)
- 1/2 cup semolina flour
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup candied citrus peel (orange or lemon)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add water gradually and knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- For the filling, boil 1 cup water, slowly whisk in semolina and cook for 3–4 minutes until thick. Let cool completely.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and candied citrus peel. Stir in cooled semolina until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
- Divide chilled dough into two. Roll each portion into a very thin rectangle. Brush with melted butter, then roll tightly from the short end to form a log. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice logs into 1/2-inch rounds. Stretch each into a cone shape with your fingers. Fill with about 1 tablespoon of ricotta filling and gently seal the edges.
- Place on baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Chill time is crucial for shaping the dough and keeping flaky layers.
- Don’t overfill the pastries to avoid leaking during baking.
- Use a pasta roller to help roll the dough extremely thin if available.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pastry
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
