Flaky Ricotta Pastries

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1 cup flour
• 2 ounces flour
• 6 ounces butter
• 2 ounces lamb fat
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 3 ounces candied orange peel, diced
• 1 egg yolk

Recipe

• 1 bring the water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and pour in the semolina, stirring so as not to form lumps.
• 2 cook, stirring for about 8 mins., stirring constantly. let cool.
• 3 make a fontana with the flour. put half of the butter, a pinch of salt and as much water as necessary to knead the dough to a smooth and elastic consistency. wrap the dough in a towel and let rest for an hour.
• 4 sift the ricotta; mix with the semolina, 6 tbs. sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and the candied peel.
• 5 roll out the pastry with a rolling pin to obtain a 25x18-in. rectangle, 1/16-in. thick. cut the pastry vertically into 4 strips and place one on top of the other, brushing each one with melted butter. let rest for half an hour, and then roll up the stack of dough.
• 6 slice the roll into 10 equal pieces with a very sharp, floured knife. place the pieces on the pastry board and roll them gently with the rolling pin, first vertically, in an upward direction, and then in a downwards direction, to give them an oval shape.
• 7 turn the ovals over, place a bit of ricotta filling in the middle of each one, brush the edges with egg yolk, then fold the dough over and press to seal.
• 8 brush the sfogliatelle with melted strutto and place on a paper greased with butter. bake in a pre-heated oven at 425ºf for 20 minutes
• 9 remove from the oven. brush with melted butter again, lower the temperature to 350ºf and bake for another 20 minutes
• 10 let cool, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve.
• 11 that's it!