Ingredients for the Dough

• 4 cups (500 g) Manitoba or bread flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons (10 g) salt
• ¾ cup + 1½ tablespoons (≈200 ml) water
• Lard (as needed, for greasing and layering)

🍮 For the Filling

👩🏻‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with water and salt. Knead until you form a firm, compact dough.
2. Grease the dough generously with lard and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
3. After resting, knead again until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
4. Roll it out into a strip about 8 inches (20 cm) wide.

   Tip: Using a pasta machine helps you roll the dough thin and long.

2. Create the Layers

1. Starting from one end, roll the dough tightly into a log, spreading a thin layer of lard as you go.
2. Once rolled up, coat the outside with more lard.
3. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (12 hours).

3. Form the Sfogliatelle

1. Next day, prepare your pastry cream if you haven’t yet (see link above).
2. Remove dough from fridge and slice into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds.
3. Flatten each round slightly, brush with a little lard.
4. Using your thumbs, gently press from center outward to form a small cone shape.
5. Fill each cone with a spoonful of pastry cream.
6. Pinch the edges to seal the filling inside.

🔥 Baking

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the sfogliatelle.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
4. Let them cool and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.

💡 Tips

• Lard gives the best texture and crispness, but softened butter can be used if needed.
• Best eaten same day — they lose crispness if stored too long.
• For variation, alternative fillings like ricotta cream or lemon custard also work well.