Sfogliatelle

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter.  The family and I ate (for what felt like 8 hours straight) a delicious Italian smorgasbord that consisted of grandpa's roast beef, fresh fruit, salad and potatoes (which I'll share later this week).  But dessert is always the best part, right?  Out of the three desserts that were served last night, this classic Sfogliatelle Italian pastry was at the top of my list.  It's not gluten free but believe me... it's worth the bellyache.  Sfogliatelle means "many leaves/layers" in Italian, and rightfully so!  Its crispy crust is stacked with strips of fillo dough in a beautiful array of rippling layers.  This particular pastry is stuffed with thick custard with bits of citrus, but it's not uncommon to see them sometimes stuffed with a ricotta cheese filling instead.  I personally prefer the eggy custard and would leave the ricotta filling for cannoli!  But instead of making the Sfogliatelle this Easter, we found them at my favorite deli, Claro's, in the San Gabriel Valley.   Besides their fabulous cold cuts and salads, they make the most incredible pastries and cookies.  If you're in the area, stop by and pick up their Sfogliatelle... it's something everyone needs to experience!