Sfogliatella, Jewel of Italian Pastries

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

2 cups

Salt

1/2 teaspoon

Water

1 cup, warm

Unsalted butter

1/2 cup, melted and divided

Ricotta cheese

1 cup

Sugar

1/2 cup

Egg yolk

1

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

Candied orange peel

1/4 cup, finely chopped

Powdered sugar

for dusting

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Gradually pour in the warm water while stirring to create a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it's smooth and elastic, approximately 5-7 minutes. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Roll the rested dough into a thin rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush the surface with half of the melted butter, then tightly roll up the dough, starting from the long side. Wrap the dough roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling. Mix together the ricotta cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and candied orange peel in a separate bowl until well combined.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Slice it into 1/2-inch thick slices, then roll out each slice into a thin circle.
6. Spoon a generous dollop of the ricotta filling onto the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape, firmly pressing the edges to seal.
7. Arrange the pastries on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until they bloom into a golden brown color.
8. Allow the pastries to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then shower them generously with powdered sugar before serving.