Sfogliatella, one of Naples’ most iconic pastries, dates back to the 17th century and was originally created in a cloistered convent on the Amalfi Coast. The nuns of the Santa Rosa convent near Salerno developed the pastry as a way to use leftover semolina and ricotta, blending them with sugar, dried fruit, and a touch of cinnamon to create a rich, sweet filling. They encased this mixture in layers of incredibly thin, crisp dough, forming the shell-like shape that gave it its name—sfogliatella, meaning “small, thin leaf” in Italian. Eventually, the recipe made its way to Naples, where master bakers refined and popularized it, creating variations like the sfogliatella riccia (curly) and sfogliatella frolla (smooth). Today, it remains a treasured symbol of Neapolitan pastry craftsmanship, celebrated for its crisp texture, rich filling, and centuries-old history.
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- To make the pastry, begin by placing the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the honey and gradually mix in the water until a stiff dough is formed.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead it for a few minutes until it becomes soft and pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to allow it to rest.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces to make it easier to roll out. Take one piece of dough and roll it through a pasta machine, similar to making pasta. Start by rolling it at the widest setting, then fold it in half and roll it again. Repeat this process two more times to create a smooth sheet of dough. Gradually decrease the width settings on the pasta machine with each roll.
- Once the sheet of dough is very thin, approximately 1mm thick, place it on the work surface and spread a thin layer of softened lard or butter over it. Carefully roll up the sheet, starting from one of the short edges, to create a tight sausage shape.
- Repeat the rolling and filling process with the remaining pieces of dough, rolling each one into a thin sheet with the pasta machine and coating it with lard or butter. Roll each of these sheets around the original pastry sausage, layering them to form one large cylinder. Gently stretch out the dough with each layer. Wrap the assembled pastry tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to firm up before using.
- To prepare the filling, take a pan and combine the milk, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk in the semolina flour until it thickens and becomes smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool slightly. Then, beat in the remaining ingredients until you achieve a smooth and thick cream. Transfer the filling to the refrigerator and chill it until needed.
- Preheat your oven to 390°F and place sfogliatelle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the pastry roll and use a sharp knife to cut it into slices about 1cm thick. With your fingers, gently flatten and push out the center of each slice to create a shell or cone shape. You can grease your fingers with a little more softened lard or butter to make this process easier.
- Spoon a generous amount of the ricotta filling into the hollow of each pastry shell and gently press the edges of the pastry together to seal them. Repeat this process with the remaining pastry slices and filling, arranging the filled pastries on the lined baking tray.
- Place the pastries in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and become crisp. Allow the pastries to cool, then dust them with a light sprinkling of icing sugar before serving.
