Sfogliatella Riccia Napoletana al Forno

Combine the 00 flour, cold water, and salt in a bowl. Work the mixture to a very tight, smooth dough — hydration is 40%, so the dough will feel stiff and resist the hands. Knead firmly for 10 minutes until the surface is entirely smooth and no dry flour remains. Wrap tightly and rest at room temperature for 1 hour. The dough is ready when it holds a clean impression from a fingertip without springing back.

Sheet the rested dough on a lightly floured surface as thinly as possible — using a pasta machine if available, progressively from the widest setting to the narrowest. Spread a thin, even layer of softened lard across the entire surface. Fold the sheet, sheet again, spread lard again. Repeat this sheeting, spreading, and folding sequence for a minimum of 30 passes: this is where the dish lives or dies. The finished laminated slab must show distinct, separate, translucent layers when a cut edge is examined; any merging of layers signals insufficient passes or too much lard applied at once.

Roll the laminated slab tightly along its length into a compact cylinder of even diameter. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight. The cylinder is ready to work when it is cold and firm throughout — it must hold its shape cleanly when sliced.

Bring 500 ml of water to the boil in a heavy saucepan. Rain in the semolina in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Cook over moderate heat, continuing to stir, until the mixture is very thick and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and fold in the drained ricotta, candied citron, ground cinnamon, and beaten eggs. Return to a gentle heat and stir until the filling reaches 85 °C — verified with a probe thermometer — at which point it will hold a compact ball when a small spoonful is lifted and pressed. Under-cooked filling weeps inside the pastry shell; the ball test is the cook's proof that the temperature has been reached. Cool completely before filling.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Slice the chilled cylinder into discs 1 cm thick. Working one disc at a time, place it on the palm and use the thumbs to press and rotate it outward from the centre, stretching it progressively into a thin cone shape — the walls must be paper-thin so the tip will cook through and crisp fully. Thick cones never cook through. Place a small, compact knob of filling — no more than a heaped tablespoon — at the centre. Press the open edge firmly closed. The filled cone should feel light and show the individual layers of lamination clearly through the shell.

Arrange the shaped sfogliatelle on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake at 200 °C for 20–25 minutes. At the halfway point, remove the tray and brush each sfogliatella lightly with melted lard; return immediately to the oven. The pastry is done when the layers have fanned open visibly, the exterior is a deep, even amber, and the shell shatters — not bends — when pressed lightly with a fingernail.

Transfer immediately to a rack and dust generously with icing sugar while the pastry is still steaming hot. The sugar absorbs the surface steam and sets a fine crust; applied cold, it merely sits on the surface without bonding. Serve hot or warm. Refrigeration destroys the layered texture irreversibly.