ItalianCrescia sfogliata di Urbino
Layered spiral flatbread
Crescia sfogliata: Urbino's flaky, layered flatbread rolled into a spiral
In Urbino and the hills of the Montefeltro, crescia sfogliata is the street food sold from small kiosks and served in every trattoria, folded round fillings like a sandwich. What sets it apart from Romagna's piadina is the lamination: an egg and pepper dough is rolled paper-thin, spread with fat, rolled up into a cord and coiled into a snail, then flattened again, so it cooks into crisp, buttery, flaking layers. Lard is traditional; this version uses butter. Fill it with rocket and soft cheese, sautéed greens or grilled vegetables. Chef's tip: rest the coiled snails for 20 minutes before the final rolling; relaxed dough rolls out without the layers fusing.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 520 kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flourplus extra for dusting
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup whole milkroughly
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
For layering
- 4 oz buttervery soft; replaces the traditional lard
To fill
- 2 ⅞ oz rocket (optional)
- 9 oz soft fresh cheese such as stracchino (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Add 3 eggs and enough ½ cup whole milk to make a soft, smooth dough, and knead for 8 minutes.
8 minStep 2: Divide into 6 balls, cover and rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Roll one ball very thin, into a rough rectangle about 30 × 40 cm, until you can almost see the board.
Step 4: Spread it thinly with a sixth of 4 oz butter, all the way to the edges.
Step 5: Roll it up tightly from a long side into a cord, then coil the cord into a flat snail and tuck the end underneath. Repeat with the rest, cover and rest for 20 minutes. Common mistake: rolling straight away; tense dough tears and the butter breaks through.
20 minStep 6: Roll each snail into a 22 cm disc about 4 mm thick, rolling gently so the spiral stays intact.
Step 7: Cook in a dry heavy frying pan over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes a side, pressing lightly, until golden-brown, blistered and visibly flaky at the edges.
8 minStep 8: Serve warm, folded around 2 ⅞ oz rocket and 9 oz soft fresh cheese such as stracchino.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 63 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does crescia sfogliata di Urbino take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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