Shortcrust pastry sfogliatella recipe
The sfogliatella is one of the most beloved and famous desserts of Neapolitan tradition, but few know that its origin dates back to the 18th century in the conservatory of Santa Rosa da Lima, in Conca dei Marini, in the province of Salerno. It was precisely in this convent that it was born by chance, when the nuns decided to use leftover semolina dough to prepare a dessert. By adding dried fruit, sugar, and limoncello, they created a delicious filling which they decided to cover with a puff pastry cap, then baking it hot.
The dessert immediately gained great success among the inhabitants of the areas surrounding the convent and was named “Santarosa” in honor of the saint to whom the monastery was dedicated. It was not until 1818 that the secret recipe of the Santarosa sfogliatella reached Naples, thanks to pastry chef Pasquale Pintauro. He decided to make some changes to the original recipe, introducing the shortcrust variant and making the sfogliatella even more delicious and appreciated.
Today, the sfogliatella is prepared in two main variants: riccia and frolla. The riccia is the more traditional one, with a crunchy shell and a soft filling made of ricotta, semolina, sugar, and orange zest. The frolla, on the other hand, has a softer and crumbly dough, perfect for those who prefer a different texture.
Regardless of the chosen variant, the sfogliatella remains a symbol of Neapolitan pastry and a delicacy to be enjoyed on any occasion. If you find yourself in Naples, you absolutely cannot miss the opportunity to taste a delicious sfogliatella, strictly prepared according to the tradition passed down through the centuries. A journey to discover the flavors and aromas of a city rich in history and culinary tradition.
On this occasion, I present to you the frolla, a simple treasure of goodness!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 24
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
flour, semolina, ricotta, orange zest, cinnamon…
- 24.69 oz shortcrust pastry
- 14.11 oz ricotta (Same filling as riccia sfogliatelle)
- 3.53 oz powdered sugar
Tools
Cookie cutter, pot for filling, rolling pin, silicone mats for baking
For equipment, check out my page, you’ll find shopping tips, objects, and other items I regularly use in my kitchen
Steps
In truth, it is a simple dessert, with a tasty and unusual heart…Fragrant and easy to prepare
Prepare the filling as instructed, and let it cool…
At this point, knead the shortcrust pastry, and after letting it rest for about thirty minutes, roll it out and cut the disks using a cutter of about 3 inches in diameter until you run out of pastry.
Distribute the filling and fold the disks into half-moons, then give an additional fold to form a sort of shell
As you can see in the photo, everything is ready for baking. Some brush with egg yolk, I left them plain.
Bake at a temperature of 374°F until golden brown
Let cool and sprinkle with sugar… Finished shortcrust pastry sfogliatelle! A tasty and aromatic caress.
Store in the refrigerator due to the presence of ricotta; they are better the next day, the thickness of the shortcrust should not exceed 1/8 inch, otherwise the filling is difficult to savor. As mentioned above, some brush with egg yolk before baking.
