Knowing to Lobster Tail Pastry - A Brief History of Sfogliatelle

"Sfogliatelle", also known as "lobster tail", is a shell-shaped pastry that originated in Italy. From wikipedia.com, the word "sfogliatelle" literally means "many leaves/layers" because it appears like stacked up leaves.

Looking for Lobster Tail Pastry

According to its history from www.sfogliatella.it, in the 18th century, this famous Italian pastry started in a monastery in the Amalfi coast of Italy, the Santa Rosa. The nuns have put out a cart for the pastries, distributed it for free and the villagers around the monastery were the ones who first tasted it. They named the pastry, "santarosa", in honor of the Saint to whom the convent was dedicated to. It did not have the 'lobster tail' form yet, but it already has the creamy-white filling (consists of milk, nuts, sugar and lemon liqueur). After more than a hundred years, the pastry was brought from Amalfi to Naples. There, a man named Pintauro (who was an innkeeper and later became a pastry chef) created his own version with a curly triangular shape (the current appearance of the lobster tail pastry) and popularized the it all around Naples. Since then, the pastry changed its name from "santarosa" to "sfogliatella". The sfogliatella (also sfogliatelle) became a sought after pastry in Italy, and different fillings soon appeared, among them is the orange-flavored ricotta and the almond paste fillings.
By the 19th century, the pastry made its way to the United States. The Italian-American pastry chefs made use of the same lobster tail form and added more filling variety like the creamy French cream and the yellow custard. It was then that the term "lobster tail pastry" was used more commonly than "sfogliatelle".

Leaning about Lobster Tail Pastry

The lobster tail pastry is a good addition to your meal preparations, whether you have a large party or a small intimate gathering. It is a perfect choice to heighten the appetite, with its crunchy crust and sweet filling, so much better than the regular plain pastries that are normally served. Since this pastry is best served warm, your guests will surely enjoy the its crunchiness, and the sweet-smelling aroma will definitely entice them to have more. Careful of the filling, though, it can be quite hot.

You can purchase lobster tail pastry from any pastry shop, where you can select the type of filling you want. If you prefer, you can create your own pastry. It only consists of simple ingredients, but the preparation of the dough is the one that's challenging, simply because the dough has to be very thin. If you are short of time (and patience), you may buy a frozen puff pastry dough as a substitute. The filling is easy to prepare; you may use the traditional filling of white cream or add lemon zest or cinnamon, or just create your own version. Bake for about 15 minutes or until brown. Let it cool for a while (maybe enough to just a bit warm) before serving.Lobster Tail Pastry