Sfogliatelle Ricce (Neapolitan Shell Pastries)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Vanilla: Extract Medium

Sfogliatelle Ricce (Neapolitan Shell Pastries)

A thin stretched dough is spread with lard, rolled into a tight log, chilled and sliced into discs that are pressed into cones. Filled and baked, the layers fan out into the classic ridged shell. Makes 12 pastries in about 7 hr 55 min.

Prep 90 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 6 hr

Total 7 hr 55 min

Yield 12 pastries

Ingredients

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pastries

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
½ cup (130 ml)water, for the dough
1 ½ tsp (10 g)honey
½ tsp (3 g)fine salt
5 ½ oz (150 g)lard or shortening, softened, for spreading and coating
1 cup (250 ml)water, for the filling
2 oz (60 g)fine semolina
7 oz (200 g)ricotta, well drained
⅔ cup (80 g)powdered sugar, for the filling
1 (50 g)egg
⅓ cup (40 g)candied orange peel, finely chopped
½ tsp (1 g)ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
2 tbsp (15 g)powdered sugar, for dusting, for the to finish

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Instructions

Mix the flour, water, honey and salt, then knead by hand 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and firm. Rub with a little lard, wrap and rest 1 hour at room temperature.
Cut the dough in two. Roll one piece through a pasta machine, folding and re-rolling, until you have a long sheet that is nearly paper thin, about 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Lay it on a large sheet of parchment.
Spread the sheet generously with soft lard, then roll it up very tightly into a log. Coat the outside with lard, wrap, and repeat with the second piece. Refrigerate both logs at least 5 hours or overnight.
For the filling, bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil, rain in the semolina and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes until thick. Cool completely.
Beat the powdered sugar with the egg, then beat in the ricotta, cinnamon and vanilla. Break up the cooled semolina and fold it in with the candied peel. Chill.
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Slice the logs 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick. Press the center of each disc with your thumb and fingers to form a cone, with the spiral layers fanning out.
Put about 2 teaspoons filling in each cone, pinch the open edge shut and set on parchment-lined sheets.
Bake 25 to 28 minutes, until deep golden and the layers are crisp and curling. Cool 10 minutes and dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

Cold logs slice cleanly; if the lard softens while you work, chill them for 30 minutes.
Do not overfill. The filling expands as it bakes and can burst the shell.
If a sheet tears, patch it with a bit of lard and keep rolling.
Bake the egg and ricotta filling until the pastries are fully cooked and golden. Refrigerate leftovers if you keep them more than a day.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make sfogliatelle ricce (neapolitan shell pastries)?

Plan on 90 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 6 hours to chill. The recipe makes 12 pastries.

How should I store sfogliatelle ricce (neapolitan shell pastries)?

Best the day they are baked. Store loosely covered at room temperature 1 day; refresh in a 350 F (175 C) oven for 5 minutes.

Can I make sfogliatelle ricce (neapolitan shell pastries) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Sfogliatella riccia is the shell-shaped pastry of Naples, with hundreds of paper-thin crisp layers around a sweet semolina and ricotta filling. Serve it with espresso.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

297 Calories / serving

15.4g Fat

33.4g Carbs

5.5g Protein

9.7g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3564 cal · 185g fat · 401g carbs · 66g protein · 116g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.