Sfogliatelle

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup melted shortening
• 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
• melted shortening, for brushing
• confectioners' sugar

Recipe

• 1 sift flour and salt and turn into bowl.
• 2 cut in shortening with fingers to mealy consistency.
• 3 add enough water (approx. 1/2 c) to hold mixture together.
• 4 dough should be not too hard or too soft (similar to egg noodle dough).
• 5 knead well several minutes.
• 6 form into ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enable it to lose elasticity and roll out easily.
• 7 roll dough very thin on lightly floured board into rectangular pice measuring about 28 x 24 inches.
• 8 cut edges evenly, then cut into 4 pieces lengthwise, 28 x 6 inches.
• 9 using a brush, spread melted shortening generously and evenly over one strip, top with second strip and spread with shortening.
• 10 repeat with the third and fourth strips, separating each strip by a layer of shortening.
• 11 let shortening cool and set.
• 12 using great care, roll four strips together, as for jelly roll, starting from shorter end.
• 13 wrap in wax paper and refrigerate about 15 minutes.
• 14 remove.
• 15 wax paper and cut ends evenly using a short thing knige.
• 16 cut roll into 12 1/2 inch pieces (for easier cutting, dip knife in flour before cutting dough).
• 17 slices will resemble narrow rolls of ribbon.
• 18 place on lightly floured board and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• 19 gently place rolling pin a center of slice and roll out from center toward left.
• 20 return rolling pin to center and roll out from center toward right.
• 21 the slice, fromerly round, will be a larger and thinger oval shape.
• 22 gently roll again from center toward top with one stroke and from center toward bottom with one stroke.
• 23 the oval should measure about 7 1/2 inches at its longest part.
• 24 placed prepared oval on lightly floured board, rolled side down.
• 25 proceed as above with the other pieces, arranging finished ovals on board, side by side.
• 26 preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 27 drain ricotta through cheese cloth until quite dry.
• 28 place in bowl, stir in remaining ingredients and blend throroughly.
• 29 place a tablespoons or two of ricotta mixture on lower half of each oval, wet edges of dough with a little egg and fold over filling, bringing narrow edges together to form a shell-like shape.
• 30 press edges together tightly to seal in filling.
• 31 brush each shell with melted shortening.
• 32 bake about 15 minutes, then quickly brush more melted shortening over shells using light, gentle strokes.
• 33 close oven door quickly, lower heat to 350 and bake another 20 minutes.
• 34 brush once more with shortening.
• 35 pastries will puff up and have a beautiful golden color showing shell-like ribs or lines.
• 36 lower heat to 250 and bake another 5 to 10 minutes.
• 37 cool on rack.
• 38 when cold, dust with confectioners sugar.