Neapolitan Crispy Pastry Shells with Ricotta

La storia di questo piatto

Born in the labyrinthine alleys of Naples, this layered pastry carries the soul of a city that has always transformed poverty into art, flour into cathedrals of joy — a Bourbon legacy perfumed with orange blossom and sea salt wind.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Puff pastry
• 300 g Buffalo ricotta
• 80 g Granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon Lemon zest, grated
• 1 whole Eggs
• 50 g Candied citron or candied fruit
• 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt

Preparazione

1. Take the ricotta and press it through a fine-mesh sieve directly into a bowl: this is the secret to achieving a silky-smooth cream with absolutely no lumps. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and finely grated lemon zest, then fold everything together with a light hand, stirring slowly and gently, until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy like pastry cream. Taste it: the lemon flavor should come through clearly but without overpowering the delicate, natural sweetness of the ricotta.
2. Using a very sharp knife, cut the candied citron into the tiniest possible dice, almost imperceptibly small, so that each spoonful of cream will have just a delicate hint of it scattered throughout. Fold this into the ricotta mixture with the gentlest movements, always scooping from the bottom and turning the mixture upward, as if protecting the air and lightness in the cream: this light-handed technique is what makes the difference between a dense, heavy filling and one that is luxuriously velvety.
3. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface using a rolling pin, being careful not to make it too thin, then cut it into even rectangles measuring about 10 by 8 centimeters, using a ruler as a guide if you want them all to be uniform in size. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart from one another because they will puff and expand dramatically during baking, and brush them lightly all over with oil using a pastry brush so that they brown evenly and become beautifully golden.
4. Place them into an oven that is already heated to 200°C and let the puff pastry work its magic: you will watch as it puffs up and rises in distinct, layered sheets, gradually turning golden brown first around the edges. When the pastry smells deeply of toasted butter and has turned a brilliant golden color, remove it from the oven and let it cool thoroughly on a wire cooling rack so that the bottoms do not become soft and soggy from the rising steam.
5. Once the pastry is completely cool to the touch, take each rectangle and carefully make an incision down the middle, as if opening a small book, without completely separating the two halves. Fill it generously with the ricotta cream, using a spoon or, even better, a pastry bag so that you do not get the edges dirty and can create a more polished, professional appearance: fill each one with patience and care, one piece at a time.
6. Finish with a light dusting of cinnamon on top, which adds a wonderful fragrance and a pleasant hint of color. Serve immediately, at room temperature, because the puff pastry releases all of its delicate aroma the moment it is filled: an espresso or a small glass of sweet Neapolitan liqueur served alongside will make the experience even more memorable and special.