Today I want to introduce you to a Sicilian dessert called Turkish heads and Moorish heads. It is said that it was prepared after a battle between the Normans and the Saracens, and the dessert was created to resemble the turbans of the latter. These are large cream puffs filled with ricotta to which I have also added strawberries. I admit that the cream is that of Sicilian cannoli, but the combination with strawberries makes these Turkish heads even more special, fresh, and delicious. You can find my cream puff recipe HERE or if you are short on time, you can buy them ready-made.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12-14
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- choux pastry (or buy 15 large cream puffs)
- 18 oz sheep ricotta (let it drain overnight in the fridge)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 10.5 oz strawberries (ripe)
- to taste powdered sugar (optional)
Tools
- Sieve
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Piping bag
Steps
If you decide to make the cream puffs at home, I recommend this RECIPE with or without a ROBOT.
If you have bought ready-made cream puffs, focus directly on the ricotta cream: start by sieving the ricotta into a bowl, add the sugar, and mix well with a spatula. At this point, add the chocolate chips and let your cream rest in the fridge for a few minutes. Then wash the strawberries, dry them gently, trim the tops, and slice the strawberries thinly. Set aside at least 12 whole strawberries (or 6 halved) if you want to decorate the cream puffs with them. Now gently cut your cream puffs in half.
Take your ricotta cream and pour it into a piping bag without a nozzle, and start filling your cream puffs. I placed strawberries inside the empty cream puff and on the cream before closing the Turkish heads with the remaining half.
Then fill all the cream puffs and add a pinch of cream on top to adhere the decorative strawberry on the surface of the cream puff, then sprinkle with powdered sugar or, if you prefer, decorate with melted chocolate.
Saby advises…
The Turkish heads should be consumed immediately, as they are not suitable for long-term storage in the fridge since they become soggy. Therefore, I suggest preparing them no more than a couple of hours before serving.
