Il Convento di Santa Rosa — Sfogliatella Santa Rosa
The sfogliatella Santa Rosa — a shell-shaped pastry filled with semolina cream, ricotta, candied citrus and sour cherry — was invented by the nuns of the Monastero di Santa Rosa in Conca dei Marini in the 17th century, making this village the birthplace of one of Naples' most iconic sweets. Tasting one here, in its place of origin, is a genuine culinary pilgrimage.
The history on a plate
The original recipe was created around 1600 by the convent's nuns, who used surplus limoncello-soaked semolina and ricotta to fill pastry shells. A Neapolitan pastry chef named Pasquale Pintauro later adapted the recipe into the drier sfogliatella riccia that became famous across Naples — but the richer, softer Santa Rosa version is the ancestor.
The monastery itself, dramatically perched on a cliff above the sea, was converted into the luxury hotel Il San Pietro di Positano's sister property, but the pastry's story is celebrated throughout the village.
Where to taste it today
Several pasticcerie in nearby Amalfi and Ravello serve the Santa Rosa version, but the most authentic experience is at local bars and bakeries in Conca dei Marini and the surrounding villages during the Sagra della Sfogliatella Santa Rosa, held each August in Conca dei Marini's main square.
The festival draws pastry makers from across Campania and is the single best opportunity to taste multiple interpretations side by side, accompanied by local limoncello and live music on the cliff-edge piazza.
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