Shortcrust Sfogliatelle

Name: Shortcrust Sfogliatelle
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: Butter (cold but pliable) ½ cup; Sugar 0.67 cup; Type 00 flour 2 cups; Vanilla bean ½; Lemon peel green ½; Orange peel ½; Eggs 1.8 oz; Baker's ammonia ½ tsp; Honey 0.7 tbsp; Water 1 cup; Semolina &frac13; cup; Ricotta di bufala cheese 1 cup; Sugar 0.6 cup; Eggs 0.3 cup; Candied orange 1.75 oz; Orange peel ½; Lemon peel green ½; Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp; Vanilla bean ½; Eggs 1

267

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 267
Carbohydrates g 36.7
of which sugars g 20.5
Protein g 5.7
Fats g 10.8
of which saturated fat g 6.15
Fiber g 1.6
Cholesterol mg 69
Sodium mg 30

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Makes: 15 pieces
Cost: Average
Note plus one night and 4 hours

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Alfonso Pepe

The desserts of the Campania tradition are always the most indulgent. Walking through the streets of Naples between a rum baba and a slice of Pastiera, or migliaccio, it's a must to leave some space to enjoy the typical shortcrust sfogliatelle in one of the historic pastry shops, strictly accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee! Just as the name suggests, these pastries are made with one of the basic recipes of pastry making: shortcrust pastry. A fragrant and very aromatic shell thanks to the citrus fruits from the region that are added directly to the dough is ready to hold a soft and enveloping filling made of ricotta and semolina. As soon as the shortcrust sfogliatelle are baked, their aroma will fill your home, and no one will be able to resist such sweetness!

For a sudden craving for sfogliatelle, also try the easy ones!

INGREDIENTS

267

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the shortcrust: Butter ½ cup (125 g) - (cold but pliable); Sugar 0.67 cup (125 g); Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g); Vanilla bean ½; Lemon peel ½ - green; Orange peel ½; Eggs 1.8 oz (50 g); Baker's ammonia ½ tsp (2 g); Honey 0.7 tbsp (10 g)

for the filling: Water 1 cup (250 g); Semolina ⅓ cup (75 g); Ricotta di bufala cheese 1 cup (250 g); Sugar 0.6 cup (125 g); Eggs 0.3 cup (60 g); Candied orange 1.75 oz (50 g); Orange peel ½; Lemon peel ½ - green; Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp (1 g); Vanilla bean ½

for brushing: Eggs 1

Preparation of the shortcrust

To prepare the shortcrust sfogliatelle, start by making the shortcrust pastry. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cold but pliable butter and granulated sugar 1. Mix at moderate speed 2 and as soon as they are well combined and you have obtained a sort of cream, add the honey 3.

Then add the zest of half an orange 4, that of half a lemon 5, and the seeds of half a vanilla pod 6. If the stand mixer doesn't gather everything, you can help with a spatula to combine the ingredients better.

Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it lightly. Add it to the mixer a little at a time 7, until it is completely absorbed 8. Again, you can help with a spatula to combine the ingredients. As soon as the mass is combined, add the ammonia 9 and continue to mix.

At this point, sift the flour 10 and add it to the mixer 11. As soon as the flour is completely absorbed, turn off the machine 12.

Transfer the dough to a small tray 13 and flatten it with a spatula 14. Cover with plastic wrap 15 and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

For the cream

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Pour the water into a saucepan and lightly salt it 1. As soon as it starts boiling, add the semolina in a steady stream, stirring continuously with a whisk 2, to avoid lumps. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes using a wooden spoon and stirring continuously 3.

As soon as the semolina is dry 4, pour it into a baking dish, press it lightly, and cover with cling film in contact with the surface 5. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle; also add the candied fruits 6 and turn on the machine to soften the semolina.

Then add the ricotta in two parts 7 and when it is well combined with the semolina, also add the sugar 8. Then add all the aromas: cinnamon, the grated zest of half an orange, lemon zest, and the seeds from half a vanilla pod 9.

Mix again and finally add the egg 10. As soon as the filling is ready 11 and the egg is completely absorbed, transfer it to a piping bag 12; it won't be necessary to use a nozzle.

Assembly and baking

Take the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface 1. Shape it into a log 2 and, using your hands, break off pieces of dough about 1.75 oz (50 grams) each 3.

You will get 11 4; to give more uniformity to your shortcrust sfogliatelle, roll the portions of dough between the palms of your hands into a spherical shape 5. Using a rolling pin 6

shape each piece of shortcrust pastry into an oval 7 and generously fill the center with the filling of each rolled-out piece of dough 8. Then fold like a bundle, folding the dough from one end of the oval to the other 9 to enclose the filling;

seal the edges by pressing lightly with your fingers 10. Then, using a 3.5 inch (9 cm) round cutter, trim the excess dough around the filled pastry 11 to create your shortcrust sfogliatelle 12. Re-knead the scraps of dough and use them to create 4 more sfogliatelle, proceeding in the same way.

Arrange the pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 13 and press lightly with your index finger to create an indentation at the base of the bundles and achieve the classic shell shape 14. Let them rest overnight in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap 15.

After resting overnight, brush the sfogliatelle with lightly beaten egg 16. Then bake in a preheated static oven at 437°F (225°C) for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown. At this point, remove from the oven 17, let cool slightly, and enjoy your shortcrust sfogliatelle 18.