Sfogliatelle Recipes

SFOGLIATELLE RICCE

Steps:

• Mix bread flour, 5 1/3 ounces semolina flour, and kosher salt together in a large bowl; add water and honey and mix. The dough will be very dry, like pasta. If there is still dry flour after a few minutes of mixing, add up to 2 teaspoons more water to ensure all the flour is moistened.
• Turn dough onto a counter. Knead a few minutes until the dough is smooth, firm, and not tacky. While firm, the dough must also be workable. Divide the dough into four pieces and flatten. Cover dough with plastic wrap when not working with it. Run each piece through a pasta machine on its widest setting a dozen or so times, folding in half and rotating the sheet 45 degrees each time (see Cook's Note). Dust with flour very sparingly, only if needed to prevent tearing. Repeat with all four pieces. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Blend ricotta cheese in a food processor until smooth. Boil 1 cup of water and stir in the sugar. Sift in the semolina, whisking to avoid clumping. It will immediately thicken up. Reduce heat to low, fold in the ricotta, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove pan from heat and return filling to food processor. While processor is running, add egg yolks, one at a time, until fully combined. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and candied orange peel and pulse to mix. Transfer filling to a bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Divide each dough piece into four pieces. Cover dough with plastic wrap. Place clean kitchen towels over a work surface. Lay each sheet of dough on the towels while you roll out the remaining sheets.
• Run each piece through the pasta machine on progressively smaller settings until dough is as thin as possible. After running it through the pasta machine, stretch each sheet as wide as you can without tearing. Dough sheets should stretch to three times their original width and be so thin you can see through it.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Melt butter and lard. Place the first sheet of pastry on the parchment. Brush the dough with the butter-lard mixture. Lay the second sheet above the first, overlapping a half-inch or so. Roll the sheets up into a tight cylinder, leaving about an inch to overlap the next sheet. Lay the third dough sheet on the parchment, overlapping the second sheet, and brush with the butter mixture. Continue rolling up the log of dough, repeating until all the dough pieces are brushed with the butter mixture and rolled up. Wrap dough log in the parchment sheet and wrap entirely with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place filling mixture in a pastry bag or a 1 gallon zipper bag with the corner snipped off.
• Cut cylinder of dough into half-inch slices; you should have 16 to 20 pieces. Holding the dough in both hands, use your thumbs to flatten the dough piece from the center outwards. Form flattened slice into a cone shape. Pipe filling into center, close partially, and repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Bake in preheated oven until dough turns golden brown and starts to "peel" back from the pastries, 20 to 30 minutes. You can baste the pastries a couple of times with the leftover butter and lard mixture during baking, if you like. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

SFOGLIATELLE

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt and turn into bowl.
• Cut in shortening with fingers to mealy consistency.
• Add enough water (approx. 1/2 c) to hold mixture together.
• Dough should be not too hard or too soft (similar to egg noodle dough).
• Knead well several minutes.
• Form into ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enable it to lose elasticity and roll out easily.
• Roll dough very thin on lightly floured board into rectangular pice measuring about 28 x 24 inches.
• Cut edges evenly, then cut into 4 pieces lengthwise, 28 x 6 inches.
• Using a brush, spread melted shortening generously and evenly over one strip, top with second strip and spread with shortening.
• Repeat with the third and fourth strips, separating each strip by a layer of shortening.
• Let shortening cool and set.
• Using great care, roll four strips together, as for jelly roll, starting from shorter end.
• Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate about 15 minutes.
• Remove.
• wax paper and cut ends evenly using a short thing knige.
• Cut roll into 12 1/2 inch pieces (For easier cutting, dip knife in flour before cutting dough).
• Slices will resemble narrow rolls of ribbon.
• Place on lightly floured board and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• Gently place rolling pin a center of slice and roll out from center toward left.
• Return rolling pin to center and roll out from center toward right.
• The slice, fromerly round, will be a larger and thinger oval shape.
• Gently roll again from center toward top with one stroke and from center toward bottom with one stroke.
• The oval should measure about 7 1/2 inches at its longest part.
• Placed prepared oval on lightly floured board, rolled side down.
• Proceed as above with the other pieces, arranging finished ovals on board, side by side.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Drain ricotta through cheese cloth until quite dry.
• Place in bowl, stir in remaining ingredients and blend throroughly.
• Place a tablespoons or two of ricotta mixture on lower half of each oval, wet edges of dough with a little egg white and fold over filling, bringing narrow edges together to form a shell-like shape.
• Press edges together tightly to seal in filling.
• Brush each shell with melted shortening.
• Bake about 15 minutes, then quickly brush more melted shortening over shells using light, gentle strokes.
• Close oven door quickly, lower heat to 350 and bake another 20 minutes.
• Brush once more with shortening.
• Pastries will puff up and have a beautiful golden color showing shell-like ribs or lines.
• Lower heat to 250 and bake another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• When cold, dust with confectioners sugar.

RICOTTA-FILLED PASTRIES

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Mix together 3 cups flour and sea salt in bowl of mixer at moderately low speed, then beat in water. Gently squeeze a small handful of dough: It should hold together without falling apart. If it doesn't, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time, beating after each addition and continuing to test. Continue beating at moderately low speed until dough forms a ball, about 5 minutes (dough will not be smooth).
• Halve dough and roll out each half into a rough 12- by 5-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) with a rolling pin. Put dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Set smooth rollers of pasta machine at widest setting. Feed 1 piece of dough through rollers 6 times, folding in half each time. Feed remaining piece of dough through rollers in same manner.
• Stack both pieces of dough and, using rolling pin, roll together to form 1 (1/2-inch-thick) piece. Feed dough through rollers 10 more times, folding in half each time. Fold dough in half crosswise, then fold in half again. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 8.
• Beat together butter and lard in a bowl with mixer until pale and fluffy.
• Quarter dough. Keeping remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap, roll out 1 piece dough into a rough 4- by 8-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Feed rectangle through rollers of pasta machine (dust dough with flour as necessary to prevent sticking), making space between rollers narrower each time, until dough has gone through narrowest setting (dough strip will be about 4 feet long). Cover strip loosely with plastic wrap. Feed another piece of dough through rollers in same manner.
• Put 1 dough strip on lightly floured surface and trim ends to make even. Spread 3 tablespoons lard butter evenly over strip with offset spatula. Gently stretch strip to 9 inches wide with your fingers, moving slowly down length of strip. Beginning at a short end, carefully and tightly roll up strip, stopping 1 inch before end, then cover loosely with plastic wrap. Spread other dough strip with 3 tablespoons lard butter and stretch to 9 inches in same manner (do not roll up). Overlap 1 inch of a short end onto exposed end of first roll, then continue to roll up first roll to form a tight cylinder (about 9 inches long and 2 inches in diameter).
• Feed remaining 2 pieces of dough through rollers and make another tight cylinder in same manner. Wrap cylinders well in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Chill remaining lard butter.
• Make filling:
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add semolina flour in a slow steady stream, stirring, and cook, stirring, until mixture becomes a thick heavy paste, 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread 1/4 inch thick. Chill, covered with wax paper, until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Tear semolina into pieces and mix in bowl of mixer at low speed to break up. Add yolks, vanilla, sea salt, and cinnamon and beat until smooth. Mix in ricotta and candied orange peel at low speed. Spoon into pastry bag and chill.
• Form pastries:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove remaining lard butter from refrigerator.
• Working with 1 cylinder at a time, trim about 1/2 inch from each end, then cut cylinders into 3/4-inch-thick slices (about 12). Lay 1 slice flat on work surface and gently flatten into a 4-inch round with heel of your hand, starting in center and smearing out in all directions.
• Form round into a cone:
• Carefully scrape round off work surface with a knife or metal spatula. Put your thumbs underneath round and first two fingers of each hand on top, then gently push center upward with thumbs and simultaneously pull side downward with fingers, keeping layers overlapping slightly (imagine a collapsible travel cup).
• Cupping cone in palm of your hand, pipe in about 3 tablespoons filling. Pinch edges of dough together to seal and put pastry on a baking sheet. Form and fill more sfogliatelle in same manner with remaining slices and remaining cylinder.
• Brush sfogliatelle with some lard butter. Bake in batches in middle of oven (keep second batch covered with plastic wrap while first bakes), brushing with remaining lard butter twice during baking, until very crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes total. Transfer pastries to a rack to cool slightly, then serve.

SFOGLIATELLE RICCE - AUTHENTIC RECIPE STEP BY STEP

Steps:

• Add flour and salt in a mixing bowl, give a stir, add honey and lukewarm water. Mix well with your hands or in a stand mixer until you get a slightly crumbly dough. If you are going to roll the dough by hand it's best to add another few tablespoons of water to make the dough a bit smoother. But if you're going to use a pasta machine feel free to leave the dough at that "slightly crumbly" stage, it'll all come together later in the process.
• Cover the dough with a plastic wrap or linen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Past that time divide the dough in 3-4 parts. Take one part and keep the rest of the dough covered to prevent it from drying. Pass the first part of the dough through pasta machine on the widest setting "0 setting".Fold it over on itself, rotate and pass again on the same thickness setting.
• Pass the dough at least 3-5 times repeating the folding process, until you get a smooth and even sheet. Then set the regulating knob of the pasta machine to the next setting (setting 1) and pass it again several times. Continue increasing thickness setting until you get to the thinnest sheet possible (setting 7-8 on Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine).
• You'll need to pass the dough just once on that last thickness setting. I also recommend stopping the machine a couple of times as the dough sheet comes through and roll it up onto the rolling pin. The ends (handles) of the rolling pin should be settled between two water bottles or soup bowls to prevent the dough from touching the table. Cover rolled dough with a plastic wrap.
• Repeat the same process with the remaining dough chunks.At the end you should get a sheet pastry approx 15 feet long and 5-6 inches wide rolled over the rolling pin.
• Prepare lard at room temperature or melted butter.Start to unfold sfogliatelle sheets from the rolling pin.
• Extend the dough sheet over a clean work surface and grease it thoroughly with lard/butter making sure you smear well the edges as well.You can use your hands if using lard or painting brush if using melted butter.
• Place your hands underneath the dough and gently stretch it outwards elongating it to approx. 7-8 inches wide.
• Roll the greased piece into a very tight roll and unfold another section. Repeat the greasing, stretching and rolling process until you've used all the dough from the rolling pin.
• As a result you should get a very tight kind of dough log. Grease it all over with remaining lard/butter, cover with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or better yet overnight.
• If you are short on time you can place it in the freezer for about an hour.In the meantime prepare the cream.
• In a stove-top pot add milk, butter (see notes), salt and sugar. Stir well and bring the mixture to boil.
• Constantly stirring slowly add semolina. Continue whisking to avoid formation of the lumps and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In a food processor add cooked semolina, ricotta and an egg. Pulse a few times until smooth and even texture. If you don't have a food processor just use a hand-hold or standing mixer.
• Add candied oranges, cinnamon, vanilla extract and orange blossom water.Mix with a whisk and set aside.
• Take the sfogliatelle dough log out of the fridge and while it's still covered with a plastic wrap gently but firmly squeeze and stretch it with your hands going from the center towards the sides.
• Remove the plastic wrap and cut off uneven sides of the log, then cut into approx ½ inch slices.
• To form the sfogliatelle cone, take a dough slice and start gently working it with your fingers.Using your thumbs and a rotating motion push the center of the slice out opening up dough layers and forming a cone shape. Be careful not to push the layers too much apart, you still want them to stay together.
• Holding sfogliatella in one hand fill the cavity of the cone with ricotta cream. Make sure to fill with enough cream so that sfogliatelle stay full and puffy. If the cream is not enough they'll simply flatten out in the oven.
• Put together the edges of the opening as you can, they don't have to be perfectly sealed. The cream is thick enough to hold in the pastry.Place sfogliatelle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 380F.Bake sfogliatelle in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
• Serve warm generously dusted with confectioners' sugar.

SFOGLIATELLE RICCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Make the Filling: Put a small saucepan over a high flame and bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Once the water boils, stream in the semolina little by little and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook for another minute and remove from heat. Set aside and let the semolina cool completely. In a large bowl combine the powdered sugar and the egg. Using an electric mixer mix until smooth . Add the ricotta, the vanilla extract, the orange extract and the cinnamon. Mix until fully incorporated. Using a wooden spoon, break up the semolina in small pieces and add it to the bowl. Using a spatula mix everything together to form a smooth cream. If the cream still has some lumps, use the electric mixer to smooth it out by mixing for a minute or two. Fold in the candied fruit and store in the fridge. To make the Sfogliatelle: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment combine the flour, the salt, the honey and the water. Let everything mix on medium speed for a good 10 minutes. Note that the dough will be kind of dry and crumbly. It will not form a ball. That is fine. Transfer the dough to a wooden board and start putting all the crumbs together to form a ball. Start kneading the dough until the ball comes together and it feels supple and smooth. The kneading process will take about 10 minutes. Coat the dough with a thin coat of lard, wrap it in plastic paper and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature. On a long table roll out a sheet of wax paper at least 9 feet long. After 1 hour, take the dough and divide in half. Take one half and leave the the other half in the plastic paper. Attach the pasta roller to your stand mixer or use any other pasta roller that you may have. Set the roller to the widest setting. With your hands flatten the dough as much as you can and begin to the pass it through the roller. The first few times the dough will rip, not to worry, keep folding the dough and keep passing it through the rollers. Eventually it will no longer rip and the dough will become smooth and velvety. *At this point you will need two people to perform the next step! Once you have a sheet that is nice and smooth, set the pasta roller to next to the thinnest setting (on the Kitchen Aid I set it to 8). Pass the dough through the roller and be careful to catch the thin layer of dough that will come out. Here you need two people to catch it without letting it rip. Once you catch it, gently deposit it the sheet of dough on the wax paper that you laid on the table. Starting from one end, put some lard on your fingers and spread it over the entire surface of the dough. Do it gently as you do not want to rip the dough. Once you have covered the entire surface with lard, start from one end and begin to roll the dough into a log as tight as possible until you reach the other end. You will have a log about 2 1/2 inches tick. Apply a coating of lard over the entire log, wrap it in plastic paper and store it in the fridge. Repeat the same process for the other half of the dough. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Take each log and cut it in slices of a little less that 1/2 inch. Take each slice and with your thumb press all around toward the center of the dough so that it spreads and forms a cone (see photo below). Fill each cone with two teaspoons of filling, close the end and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once you have made all the sfogliatelle, bake them for 27-28 minutes. Once they cool, you can optionally sprinkle them with powdered sugar and serve them.

EGGLESS SFOGLIATELLE FROLLE

Steps:

• 1. Cut the cold butter into cubes.
• 2. In a bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.
• 3. Add the cubed butter and rub with your palms to incorporate the butter into the flour.
• 4. Take the flour butter mixture in your hands and lift it up the bowl and rub. This way you get air inside the mixture and the crust will be flaky.
• 5. Leave some pea sized chunks of butter while rubbing.
• 6. Add cold water and bring the dough together. Let the dough be crumbly and not smooth.
• 7. Divide it into two parts with one portion larger than the other.
• 8. Place them into cling wraps, cover and refrigerate until firm.
• 1. In a pan, mix together milk and sugar.
• 2. Bring it to boil.
• 3. Add semolina in a continuous stream keepin flame low.
• 4. Keep on stirring until the mixture becomes very thick and leaves the sides of the pan.
• 5. Pour this on a plate and allow it to cool completely.
• 6. In a jar of food processor, take ricotta, cooled semolina mixture, zest of one orange and cream. Run the processor until smooth.
• 7. Now remove the blade, add vanilla essence, chocolate chips and tutti frutti and mix well.
• 8. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Roll a portion into a rough rectangle.
• Place a ball of filling on the lower half.
• Bring the side of rectangle over the filling and press it.
• With a circular cutter, cut out a circle. The remaining dough from all the circles will make one more frolle.
• Arrange on a baking tray and refrigerate for 2 hours. I had some extra pie crust, so another 3..
• After baking it until golden, dust with icing sugar.
• Enjoy!!!!

SFOGLIATELLE RICCE

Steps:

• 1. For Filling: Combine ricotta, milk, vanilla, egg, sugar and grated orange peel. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• 2. For Pastry: Sift together flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix in cold butter with fingers or use food processor. Gradually add enough ice water to hold ingredients together. Toss on lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes or until dough is smooth. Cover and store in cool place for 1/2 of an hour.
• 3. Divide dough into four equal parts. Roll out each piece with rolling pin on lightly floured surface, making sheets about 20 inches long. Pull and stretch dough if need while rolling to make dough tissue thing and transparent.
• 4. Brush each sheet with melted butter and place sheets on top of one another. When four sheets are piled together, brush top with melted butter. Let stand 5 minutes and then roll tightly as you would a jelly roll. Roll in waxed paper and set aside for 30 minutes or more in refrigerator.
• 5. With sharp knife, cut roll in 1/2 inch slices which will resemble narrow rolls of ribbon. Place on board or platter, cover with towel and side aside in cool place for 15 minutes.
• 6. Place each slice on palm of left hand, with right thumb on center of roll, gently press through slice so that it forms a ribbed cone, make sure that ribs do not become entirely separated or the pastries will be too elongated.
• 7. Carefully work around cone with thumb and index finger until it is well shaped. 3 inches across mouth and a 1/2 inch tip (resembling a closed clam V-shaped) Press tip together.
• 8. Fill each cone with 1 heaping tablespoon of ricotta filling. Flatten cones gently between palms of hands. Place on lightly buttered parchment lined cookie sheet.
• 9. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until pastries are light golden color, crisp and filling is firm. Remove from oven and let cool.
• 10. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN SFOGLIATELLE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add water and honey, and then mix to create a stiff dough. Then gradually add water.
• Place the dough on the counter and knead until it's smooth and supple. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, split the dough into 4 pieces. Get one piece, then roll through a pasta machine. Roll using the widest setting, then fold in half and roll again. Do the same on each dough. Repeat this process until you create smooth sheets by gradually decreasing the width on each roll.
• When the sheet is at 1mm thick, lay it on the surface and apply a thin layer of lard or butter. Create thin sheets of the other doughs as well and roll them into similar thin layers.
• Roll up the first thin sheet to create a tight sausage shape.
• Next, wrap the next thin dough sheet around the original sausage shape pastry dough, layering up to create one large cylinder. Cover with a saran wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours for the pastry to firm up.
• Now, to make the filling. Place the milk, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the semolina flour until it thickens and becomes smooth. After it has cooled down, transfer to a bowl. Then, add the remaining ingredients, stirring all the while to create a smooth, thick filling. Set aside, preferably inside the fridge.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bring out the pastry roll and cut them into 1 cm-thick pieces. Use your fingers, greased with lard or butter, to make an impression on the center to create a cone shape.
• Get the filling and scoop a spoonful into the hollow and press the edges of the pastry together to lock. Repeat these for the rest, and line up all pastries on the tray.
• When you're done putting filling on all the dough pieces, bake the pastries for about 30 minutes.
• When done, allow to cool for only a couple of minutes before sprinkling them with confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately.

SFOGLIATELLA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, the semolina flour and salt. Use your fingers to work the butter into the dough until it forms pea-like balls. Alternatively, sift the dry ingredients into the food processor and pulse the butter into the mixture until it is blended and relatively smooth. Work the water in with your fingers (or in the mixer). Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and roll it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and press it down. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer. Whisk in the semolina flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. If it forms lumps as it cooks, whisk until smooth. Transfer the milk and flour mixture to a bowl to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the ricotta, the egg, sugar. Add the candied orange and lemon bits and sift a dusting of cinnamon over the surface. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide in half. Flour a flat surface and roll 1 of the halves into a rectangle about 14 inches by 24 inches. The shorter end of the rectangle should be close to you. The dough should feel very thin. The thinner the better! Brush the entire rectangle with a layer of the shortening. Sprinkle it with an even dusting of confectioners sugar. Gently and evenly roll it up into itself like a jelly sponge roll. Roll carefully, taking care that it rolls up very tightly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick pieces. Repeat the same process with the other half of the dough.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put 1 of the dough rounds in your hand and, with the other hand, press your thumb into the middle of your other hand (and, therefore, into the dough) and start to stretch the dough. You don t want to push so much that you make a cavity just yet. First, concentrate on making the dough round bigger and flatter. When it is about the size of a large clam shell, start to smooth and push down in the middle so it forms a cavity a lot like a large clam shell. You want to finish with a cone with an opening of about 3 inches and the smaller, tapered end about 1-inch. Brush a little shortening on the dough and turn it inside out, cupping the dough cone between the length of your index finger and thumb. Carefully spoon 2 large spoonfuls of the filling into the cone. The cone should be fairly filled and go to the edges of the opening with a thin layer of the filling. Close the mouth by carefully folding the cone opening over itself. The same as if you had 2 halves of a clam shell and were closing it up. Gently press the edges of the opening, together. Arrange on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat with all of the dough, until both of the baking sheets are filled. Brush each with the egg wash.
• Put the trays in the center of the oven and bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest a few minutes on the baking sheet.
• After the Sfogliatella have rested for a few minutes, sprinkle them with another dusting of confectioners' sugar and put each baking sheet squarely under the broiler. Do not walk away! Stay there and watch as the sugar slowly browns the top. If the layer of sugar was light and you want to make it a little browner, repeat with another dusting of sugar and another minute under the broiler. Allow them to rest a few minutes, then transfer them to a serving platter, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

SFOGLIATELLE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, the olive oil, and 3/4 cup water; stir together until a dough forms (it will be slightly dry). If the dough is too dry to absorb all of the flour, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, and set aside. In a food processor, blend ricotta cheese until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water with the granulated sugar, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add semolina flour, and stir until there are no visible lumps and mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in ricotta cheese, and cook over medium heat until mixture is smooth and thickened, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in whole eggs and yolks, one at a time. Return pan to heat and continue to cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute more. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a medium bowl. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator, and cut into four equal pieces. Lightly dust each one with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece to a thickness that will easily fit through the widest setting on a manual pasta machine (it should be about 5 1/2 inches). Pass each piece of dough, one after the other, through every other setting, ending with the thinnest setting.
• Place one of the strips of dough on a lightly floured work surface, and trim both the rounded ends. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread one quarter of reserved butter mixture on the dough.With a short side facing you, begin rolling the dough into a tight log; gently stretch the ends as you roll to make them thinner (the log should be about 8 inches long). Repeat with remaining three pieces of dough. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Stack two baking sheets, and line the top one with parchment paper; set aside. Transfer chilled custard to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as an Ateco #806). Slice each log of dough crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (dip your knife in flour to prevent sticking).With your thumbs, slowly push out the center of each roll to form a clam-shell shape. Fill the opening with custard; pinch openings to seal. Transfer filled pastries to prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake, periodically basting pastries with the accumulated melted butter, until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.
• The dough is first passed through a pasta machine.
• Once the dough is thin enough, it is spread with a mixture of butter and shortening, and then rolled into a log.
• The log is cut into slices, the centers of which are slowly pushed out to form a clamshell shape and then filled with a ricotta mixture.