Sfogliatelle
"The Italian classic cheese pastry filled and delicately flavored inside, crisp and crunchy outside. You have probably heard this pastry mentioned on The Sopranos. Sfogliatelle is pronouned something like (shvwee-ah-dell)."
photo by limeandspoontt
- Ready In:
- 1hr 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
12
ingredients
-
Pastry
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 3⁄4 cup shortening
- 1⁄2 cup melted shortening
-
Filling
- 1 1⁄2 lbs ricotta cheese
- 8 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons minced candied orange, and citron peel
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg white
- melted shortening, for brushing
- confectioners' sugar
directions
- Sift flour and salt and turn into bowl.
- Cut in shortening with fingers to mealy consistency.
- Add enough water (approx. 1/2 c) to hold mixture together.
- Dough should be not too hard or too soft (similar to egg noodle dough).
- Knead well several minutes.
- Form into ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enable it to lose elasticity and roll out easily.
- Roll dough very thin on lightly floured board into rectangular pice measuring about 28 x 24 inches.
- Cut edges evenly, then cut into 4 pieces lengthwise, 28 x 6 inches.
- Using a brush, spread melted shortening generously and evenly over one strip, top with second strip and spread with shortening.
- Repeat with the third and fourth strips, separating each strip by a layer of shortening.
- Let shortening cool and set.
- Using great care, roll four strips together, as for jelly roll, starting from shorter end.
- Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate about 15 minutes.
- Remove.
- wax paper and cut ends evenly using a short thing knige.
- Cut roll into 12 1/2 inch pieces (For easier cutting, dip knife in flour before cutting dough).
- Slices will resemble narrow rolls of ribbon.
- Place on lightly floured board and sprinkle lightly with flour.
- Gently place rolling pin a center of slice and roll out from center toward left.
- Return rolling pin to center and roll out from center toward right.
- The slice, fromerly round, will be a larger and thinger oval shape.
- Gently roll again from center toward top with one stroke and from center toward bottom with one stroke.
- The oval should measure about 7 1/2 inches at its longest part.
- Placed prepared oval on lightly floured board, rolled side down.
- Proceed as above with the other pieces, arranging finished ovals on board, side by side.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Drain ricotta through cheese cloth until quite dry.
- Place in bowl, stir in remaining ingredients and blend throroughly.
- Place a tablespoons or two of ricotta mixture on lower half of each oval, wet edges of dough with a little egg white and fold over filling, bringing narrow edges together to form a shell-like shape.
- Press edges together tightly to seal in filling.
- Brush each shell with melted shortening.
- Bake about 15 minutes, then quickly brush more melted shortening over shells using light, gentle strokes.
- Close oven door quickly, lower heat to 350 and bake another 20 minutes.
- Brush once more with shortening.
- Pastries will puff up and have a beautiful golden color showing shell-like ribs or lines.
- Lower heat to 250 and bake another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cool on rack.
- When cold, dust with confectioners sugar.
Questions & Replies
-
Why use shortening which has no taste or nutritional value? I would think butter would be so much better, has anyone tried this? -
Why use shortening which has no taste or nutritional value? I would think butter would be so much better, has anyone tried this?
-
Why use shortening which has no taste or nutritional value? I would think butter would be so much better, has anyone tried this?
Reviews
-
Bland. I used this recipe versus others I found because the steps were outlined simply, which I really like because these are super difficult to make and gave me a bit of confidence. The steps did work well however, I recommend moving step 27 to number 1 to give the ricotta sufficient time to drain.<br/><br/>The flavor was truly disapointing. This recipe needs butter and because it only calls for shortening the pastry tasted just like bland pie dough. Rolling out the disks with a rolling pin sort of worked: I got ridges, but the flaky layers did not pop up. The filling also needs work; some more sugar for sure because every sfogliatelle I have ever tasted has been sweeter than this and had more fruity flavor, so I would probablly add a bit more candied fruit too and a dash of cinnamon. <br/><br/>Again, the process is laid out nicely here, but I would follow the same steps using the ingredients from a different recipe. A tip: I used my pasta maker to roll out the dough. Instead of creating one large sheet of dough I rolled out 4 long strips and stacked those. -
yum yum yum!
-
I haven't tried the recipe listed, but these are my all time favorite and I'm sooo excited that you have added this recipe. I'll take this over a zepole any day (the rest of the family thinks I'm odd LoL). I figured there was quite a bit of work in it, but it'll be worth it. When I do make it I will post (just dont know when). Thanx again DeSouter!!!
Tweaks
-
So while this tasted really good I had a hard time making the shape. Definitely will be attempting again but I think there's a big learning curve on how to roll the dough. -when making the "jellyroll" pull the dough to stretch it out and make it even thinner!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
DeSouter
United States
Being a born and bred New Yorker with lots of varied ethnic food influences growing up, you can find me enjoying anything from Bloodwurst to Chicken Jahlfrezi to PBJs with fresh-ground honey roasted peanut butter and yummy homemade strawberry jam, and don't forget my friend Anna's mother's Pomodoro Sauce (via Bari, Italy). When it comes to eating and cooking, many native New Yorkers seem to be of whatever background that is on their plate at the moment.
<br>
<br>I notice that a good number of Zaarites list "pet peeves" here. Many list whiny people as their peeve. Hey...I live in NYC where almost EVERYONE whines and complains, so I don't notice anymore. What burns my biscuits is seeing recipes that call for some really funky ingredients like Kraft (cough cough) Parmesan cheese in the green can and chicken from a can. I had never even heard of chicken in CAN(???) until last year. Get the best quality ingredients you purse will allow. That includes spices. Those jars of spices that sell for 99 cents are no bargain if you can afford something better. Do yourself a favor and if possible, go and explore any ethnic food markets in your area. They have the most wonderful spices and herbs and they are usually priced well. And you'll find so many other goodies you'd never have even known about. (I know this isn't possible for everyone, but then there's always the internet)
<br>
<br>Sorry, I am the product of an "ingredient snob" father and I just can't help having inherited that gene to a certain extent. And again, I'm a New Yawka...we are SLIGHTLY opinionated. You're reading about the person who drives (I kid you not) 3 hours upstate and 3 hours back just to get THE sausage I need for my Thanksgiving stuffing. So call me fanatical.
<br>
<br>I am a rather good baker and for a short time I had my own dessert biz...until I found out how hard it can be to work for yourself. So I went back to working as an Art Editor in publishing.
