Sfogliatelle

Indulge!  Part of living a fulfilling and happy life is satisfying certain wants and desires (to an extreme...)  One of my favorite things to enjoy is the Italian pastry, the sfogliatelle.  While it provides absolutely no nutritional value, it makes me smile when I have one....1. Because I'm usually enjoying with a coffee 2. I'm usually biting into one shortly after a Sunday family dinner and 3. I simply just love them.  They are crunchy on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside.

The word Sfogliatelle, in Italian means, many leaves/layers.  Sfogliatelle are made from a dough similar to phyllo cut into discs and formed into a pocket to hold an orange-flavored ricotta filling, although almond paste or candied peel of citron are also used.  The dough is sealed around the filling and the pastries baked till their characteristic ridges form as the layers of dough separate.   To me, the slight hint of the orange inside is what really separates the sfogliatelle from the rest.

The bottom line is, don't eliminate the things you love from your life, only, indulge in them with moderation.  It will make them that much more enjoyable when you do!

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sfogliatelle