Sfogliatella

Sfogliatella Riccia

The great pastry of Naples' cafés: a shell of impossibly thin, coiled pastry crisp enough to crackle, filled with ricotta enriched with semolina, candied citrus, and cinnamon. The technique is demanding but the result is unmatched.

Prep

90 min

Cook

35 min

Total

125 min

Serves

12

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) strong bread flour, W300 or higher; high-gluten is essential for the elasticity needed to stretch the dough
• •350 ml (1½ cups) cool water, Approximately; adjust by tablespoon
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •20 g (1½ Tbsp) lard or soft unsalted butter, Traditional sfogliatella uses lard for flavor and pliability
• •200 g (7 oz) fine semolina
• •500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
• •150 g (5¼ oz (¾ cup)) granulated sugar, Split: 120 g for semolina, 30 g (adjust to taste) for ricotta mix
• •2 whole large eggs
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh sheep's milk ricotta, Cow's milk ricotta is a common substitute and works well; drain in cheesecloth for at least 2 hours to remove excess whey
• •120 g (4¼ oz (1 cup)) candied orange peel, finely diced, Traditional; candied citron is also used
• •10 g (1 Tbsp) ground cinnamon
• •1 pinch fine sea salt
• •200 g (7 oz (about 14 Tbsp)) lard, melted and cooled until pliable, Should be the consistency of soft butter; used to layer the stretched dough

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour, salt, melted lard, and most of the water. Mix on low, adding remaining water by the tablespoon until a very stiff, smooth dough forms (it should not be soft). Knead 15-20 minutes until the dough is so elastic it strings off the hook. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature 1 hour.
2. 2 Make the semolina filling base: In a saucepan, whisk semolina into the cold milk. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it thickens to a firm porridge that holds its shape, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in 120 g of the sugar and the pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic pressed to the surface, and chill completely.
3. 3 Prepare the stretch surface: Lay a large clean cotton tablecloth (at least 1.2 m / 4 ft square) on a long table. Dust it lightly with flour. Have the melted, pliable lard in a bowl with a wide pastry brush ready.
4. 4 Stretch the dough: Divide the rested dough into 8 equal pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a thin rope, then flatten with a rolling pin into a strip about 40 cm (16 in) long.
5. 5 Drape each strip over the back of your hands (fingers spread) and begin stretching by drumming the dough gently on the table, rotating it a quarter turn each time, working from the center outward. The goal is an even sheet so thin you can read a newspaper through it, ideally 1-1.5 m (3-5 ft) across. Don't panic over a small tear; patch it by overlapping.
6. 6 Brush the entire stretched sheet with a thin, even layer of the melted lard (you will use the lard across multiple sheets as you coil them). Let the sheet rest 5 minutes so the flour softens slightly and the lard sets.
7. 7 Build the coil: Working from the long edge opposite you, lift the edge nearest to you and roll the sheet into a tight rope, like a cigar. Then coil this rope into a flat snail or spiral about 8-10 cm (3-4 in) across, tucking the end underneath. Repeat with all 8 sheets, stacking the coils on a parchment-lined tray. Chill 30 minutes to firm up.
8. 8 Make the ricotta filling: Whisk the eggs into the chilled semolina base until smooth. In a separate bowl, rub the drained ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve to break up any lumps. Fold the ricotta, remaining 30 g sugar (adjust to taste), candied orange peel, and cinnamon into the semolina mixture. The filling should be thick but spoonable; chill until ready to use.
9. 9 Shape the shells: Slice each chilled coil into rounds about 2 cm (¾ in) thick. Working one round at a time, press your thumb gently into the center and rotate, hollowing the dough outward to form a cup while keeping the layers visible on the outside. The exterior should show distinct concentric ridges; do not seal the bottom.
10. 10 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) conventional, or 180°C (350°F) fan-forced. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
11. 11 Fill each shell with about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling, mounding slightly but not sealing the top.
12. 12 Bake for 25-35 minutes, rotating trays halfway through. The sfogliatelle are done when the pastry is deeply golden brown with crisp, separated layers that visibly crackle, and the filling registers an internal temperature of at least 85°C (185°F) on an instant-read thermometer. The shells should feel light and hollow when tapped.
13. 13 Cool 10 minutes on the tray, then dust generously with powdered sugar (not listed above) and serve warm. Sfogliatelle are at their absolute best within an hour or two of baking, when the contrast between crackling pastry and creamy filling is at its peak.