Sfogliatelle is an iconic Italian pastry from Naples. Original recipe for sfogliatelle includes a crispy shell made with super thin layers of dough and ricotta filling flavored with candied oranges, cinnamon and orange blossom water.
This kind dough together with the filling is what makes Sfogliatelle, well authentic sfogliatelle. However, sometimes when making sfogliatelle we have some leftover filling that we didn’t have enough dough for.
In this case, this simplified version of original sfogliatelle, easy and quick is a great alternative to use up the remaining filling.
I call them Lazy Sfogliatelle which are essentially sfogliatelle made from puff pastry (very different from the authentic sfogliatelle dough!) but still filled with ricotta filling as in real sfogliatelle.
With a sheet of puff pastry and a few simple folds we’ll create a pastry that resembles sfogliatelle shell. Lazy sfogliatelle are also perfect if you’re short on time or just dipping your feet bakery and want to give yourself an easier test first.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry - rectangular sheets of ready-to-use puff pastry dough.
- Sfogliatelle Cream - made with full fat ricotta cheese, milk, semolina flour, sugar, eggs and flavored with cinnamon, candied orange peel, vanilla and orange blossom water. The last one can omitted but highly recommended if you can find it.
Top Tips For Making Lazy Sfogliatelle
- Make sure puff pastry dough is well chilled as you start working with it. During hot season I recommend cutting each pastry sheet in 6 parts and working with 1 or 2 pieces at a time while keeping the rest in the fridge or even in the freezer (only for a short period of time!).
- Make sure to use a sharp knife to make nice smooth cuts through the dough.
- Pay attention to leave the sides of the dough intact.
- Make sure to seal the dough well at the bottom and in the middle.
- Preheat the oven in advance and bake the pastries once the sheet is full. Don’t let the pastries sit on the counter.
- Leave enough space between the pastries for the dough rise.
- Let lazy sfogliatelle cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
How To Make Lazy Sfogliatelle - Step By Step
If you have leftover ricotta cream filling from making authentic sfogliatelle feel free to use it. Otherwise make a ricotta cream filling from scratch.
How To Make Ricotta Cream Filling
- In a stove-top pot add milk, butter, salt and sugar. Stir well and bring the mixture to boil. Constantly stirring, slowly add semolina flour. Continue whisking to avoid formation of the lumps and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
- In a food processor add cooked semolina, ricotta and an egg. Pulse a few times until smooth and even texture. If you don’t have a food processor just use a hand-hold or standing mixer. Add chopped candied oranges, cinnamon and vanilla extract and orange blossom water (optional). Mix well and set aside until ready to use.
How To Make Sfogliatelle Shell From Puff Pastry
Preheat the oven to 355F (180C).
- Start by dividing puff pastry dough in 6 rectangles.
TIP: If it’s too hot where you work with the dough work with 1-2 pieces of dough at a time and keep the rest in the fridge or in the freezer. - Place small puff pastry rectangle short side facing you.
- Make long slit cuts with a small sharp knife on the bottom half of the dough (about 6 cuts) leaving both sides intact.
- Holding gently the top sides of the rectangular fold them over (photos 1-4).
- Place a spoonful of ricotta cream in the middle.
- Fold sides of the puff pastry making them slightly overlap (photos 5-9).
- Using your fingers press gently to seal the bottom and center of the pastry.
- Flip over and place on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper (photos 10-12).
Repeat the process with the rest of the rectangles. Make sure to leave enough space between sfogliatelle when arranging them on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated to 355F (180C) oven for 25-30 minutes or until nice golden color. Let cool and dust with confectioners sugar.
FAQs
Puff pastry needs to be protected from humidity so pastries should be stored in airtight container.
Truth is, they will disappear fast. But can be stored in an airtight container 24 hrs at room temperature or 48 hours in the fridge.
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Full Recipe
Lazy Sfogliatelle From Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Lazy Sfogliatelle Shells
- 4 sheets ready to use puff pastry
Sfogliatelle Cream
- 1 lb full fat ricotta cheese (450 grams)
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup semolina flour (140 grams)
- ½ cup sugar (110 grams)
- ¼ cup candied orange peel
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange blosson water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 oz butter (optional, see notes)
Instructions
Sfogliatelle Cream
- In a stove-top pot add milk, salt, sugar and butter (optional, see notes).Stir well and bring the mixture to boil.2 cups milk, ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Constantly stirring, slowly add semolina flour. Continue whisking to avoid formation of the lumps and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.¾ cup semolina flour
- In a food processor add cooked semolina, ricotta and an egg. Pulse a few times until smooth and even texture. If you don’t have a food processor just use a hand-hold or standing mixer.1 lb full fat ricotta cheese, 1 egg
- Add chopped candied oranges, cinnamon and vanilla extract and orange blossom water (optional). Mix well and set aside until ready to use.¼ cup candied orange peel, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon orange blosson water, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Make Sfogliatelle Shells With Puff Pastry
- Preheat the oven to 355F (180C).
- Start by dividing puff pastry dough in 6 rectangles. If it’s too hot where you work with the dough work with 1-2 pieces of dough at a time and keep the rest in the fridge or in the freezer.4 sheets ready to use puff pastry
- Place small puff pastry rectangle short side facing you.
- Make long slit cuts with a small sharp knife on the bottom half of the dough (about 6 cuts) leaving both sides intact.Holding gently the top sides of the rectangular fold them over.
- Place a spoonful of ricotta cream in the middle.Fold sides of the puff pastry making them slightly overlap.Using your fingers press gently to seal the bottom and center of the pastry.Flip over and place on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper.Repeat the process with the rest of the rectangles.Make sure to leave enough space between sfogliatelle when arranging them on a baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated to 355F (180C) oven for 25-30 minutes or until nice golden color.
- Let cool and dust with confectioners sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Concetta says
Ciao, I don’t have semolina handy however would like to make the filling for my sfogliatelle. Could I replace the semolina with flour or polenta? Thank you
Svitlana says
This is a tricky substitution. Semolina has rather neutral flavor and gives texture to the cream.
Definitely don't use flour, polenta might work but it will give a different flavor to the cream plus you'll need to adjust both its cooking time and the amount of liquid.
The only possible substitute I can think of that would give similar flavor and texture to sfogliatelle cream is rice flour.
Hope this helps.