Chef Graziella
Asparagi e Uova alla Veneta
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Sfogliata con Prosciutto e Fontina
Created by
A golden, shattering pastry from the Alpine north, where two ingredients between layers of butter-rich dough prove that restraint creates elegance. This is what Sunday morning should taste like.
Breakfast & Brunch
Italian
Bridal Shower
Mothers Day
Special Occasion
25 min
Active Time
35 min cook•1 hr total
Yield8 servings
In the Valle d'Aosta, where Italy meets France and Switzerland, breakfast is not the hurried affair Americans know. There is coffee, strong and dark. There is bread, perhaps some fruit. And on special mornings, there is something like this: puff pastry, prosciutto cotto, and Fontina from the local cows that graze in Alpine meadows.
I must tell you about the Fontina. Real Fontina Val d'Aosta has a controlled designation. It comes only from that one valley, from cows that eat grass in summer and hay in winter. The cheese melts into pools of ivory richness, slightly nutty, never stringy. Swedish or Danish imitations will not do. If you cannot find true Fontina, use Gruyère, which at least has dignity.
The prosciutto here is cotto, not crudo. Cooked ham, sliced thin. The raw cured ham would fight with the delicate cheese. Cotto surrenders, becoming silky as it warms. This is the difference between ingredients that cooperate and ingredients that compete.
Two fillings. Puff pastry. That is all. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in.
Fontina has been made in the Valle d'Aosta since at least the 13th century, when Alpine herdsmen discovered that milk from cows grazing on summer wildflowers produced cheese of remarkable character. The pairing with prosciutto cotto in pastry reflects the French influence on this border region, where butter-based pâte feuilletée became as native as polenta.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
all-butter puff pastry
Quantity
1 pound
thawed if frozen
Fontina Val d'Aosta
Quantity
6 ounces
sliced thin
prosciutto cotto
Quantity
4 ounces
sliced thin
large egg
Quantity
1
whole milk
Quantity
1 tablespoon
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| all-butter puff pastrythawed if frozen | 1 pound |
| Fontina Val d'Aostasliced thin | 6 ounces |
| prosciutto cottosliced thin | 4 ounces |
| large egg | 1 |
| whole milk | 1 tablespoon |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Rolling pin
- •Parchment-lined baking sheet
- •Pastry brush
- •Sharp serrated knife for slicing
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the pastry
Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and let it soften just enough to unfold without cracking, about 10 minutes. Work quickly once it becomes pliable. Warm pastry does not puff. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a rectangle approximately 12 by 16 inches. The thickness should be about one-eighth inch, no more.
All-butter puff pastry is not optional. The vegetable shortening versions taste of nothing and shatter without that rich, lingering butteriness. Read the label. The first ingredient after flour should be butter. - 2
Layer the filling
Arrange the Fontina slices over the bottom two-thirds of the pastry rectangle, leaving a one-inch border on all sides. Layer the prosciutto cotto evenly over the cheese. Grind black pepper generously over the ham. No salt. The cheese and ham provide enough.
- 3
Fold the pastry
Fold the empty top third of the pastry down over the middle third. Then fold the bottom third up, as you would fold a letter. Press the edges firmly to seal. You now have three layers of pastry with filling between them. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
The resting time in the refrigerator is not a suggestion. It relaxes the gluten and rechills the butter. Skip this step and your pastry will shrink and refuse to puff properly. - 4
Apply the egg wash
Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the egg with the milk until smooth. Brush the top and sides of the pastry with this wash. Use a light hand. Pools of egg wash will cook into leathery patches.
- 5
Bake until deeply golden
Bake in the center of the oven until the pastry is deeply golden brown and puffed dramatically, 30 to 35 minutes. The color should be the shade of dark honey. Pale pastry is raw pastry. The internal temperature should register at least 190 degrees if you care to check, though your eyes will tell you when it is done.
- 6
Rest before slicing
Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. The cheese will have melted into the layers and needs time to set slightly. Cut into rectangles or squares with a sharp serrated knife. Serve warm, when the pastry still shatters and the Fontina still pulls.
Chef Tips
- •True Fontina Val d'Aosta bears a stamp on its rind and has an orange-brown exterior. The interior is pale ivory with small holes. If what you find is bright orange and rubbery, it is not Fontina. It is an imitation that will not melt properly.
- •Prosciutto cotto differs from the cured prosciutto crudo you may know better. It is cooked ham, mild and tender. Look for it at Italian delicatessens. In its absence, good-quality baked ham sliced thin will serve.
- •You may cut decorative slits in the top before baking if you wish. Three diagonal cuts allow steam to escape and look attractive. This is optional but traditional.
Advance Preparation
- •The sfogliata can be assembled, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated overnight before baking. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
- •Baked sfogliata is best the day it is made. It can be rewarmed in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, though the pastry will not be quite as crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 95g)
Calories
400 calories
Total Fat
25 g
Saturated Fat
15 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
10 g
Cholesterol
55 mg
Sodium
565 mg
Total Carbohydrates
26 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
13 g
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