Master Authentic Italian Sfogliatelle Like a Pro at Home Recipe
Master the art of authentic Italian Sfogliatelle with this detailed recipe, guiding you through making the delicate layered dough and creamy ricotta-semola filling. Perfectly baked to golden perfection and dusted with confectioner’s sugar, these pastries bring traditional Naples flavors right to your home kitchen.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 pastries 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 500 g All-purpose flour
- 1 pinch Salt
- 175 ml Cold water
- 25 g Honey
For the Filling
- 450 ml Whole milk
- 100 g White sugar
- 150 g Semolina flour
- 500 g Well-drained ricotta
- 1 Large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 pinch Cinnamon
- 50 g Candied orange peel, finely chopped
For Layering and Baking
- 150 g Unsalted butter or lard (butter preferred for richer flavor)
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Gradually add cold water and honey, stirring until a stiff dough forms; add water carefully as needed.
- Knead and Rest: On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll and Layer Dough Sheets: Divide the chilled dough into four pieces. Use a pasta machine to roll each portion to about 1mm thickness, folding and rerolling until smooth. Lay each sheet flat, brushing a thin layer of melted butter or lard over the surface.
- Form the Dough Roll: Lay the first buttered sheet and roll it tightly into a compact sausage shape. Cover this roll with the next sheet, ensuring tight coverage, and continue layering until all sheets are used. Chill the assembled roll for 1 to 2 hours.
- Prepare the Filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in semolina flour until the mixture thickens. Let cool, then stir in ricotta, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and finely chopped candied orange peel until the filling is smooth and well-mixed.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking.
- Slice and Shape Pastries: Remove the chilled dough roll and slice it into 1cm thick pieces. Shape each slice into a cone form by creating a hole in the center and gently stretching the edges outward.
- Fill and Seal: Spoon the prepared creamy filling into the center opening of each pastry and seal the edges tightly to retain the filling during baking.
- Bake: Arrange the filled pastries on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Finish with Dusting: Once baked, allow the pastries to cool slightly, then dust generously with confectioner’s sugar before serving for a classic touch.
Notes
- Allow the pastries to cool slightly before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- Well-drained ricotta ensures that the filling is not too wet and holds shape better.
- Using butter gives a richer flavor but lard can be used for a traditional texture.
- Keep the dough chilled as working with cold dough helps create the signature layers.
- Slicing the chilled dough roll thinly helps achieve more delicate flaky layers.
Keywords: Sfogliatelle, Italian pastry, ricotta filling, layered dough, traditional Italian dessert
