Ingredients
*For the pastry dough
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
For the custard
2 cups milk
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon rum
Vegetable oil for deep frying
For decoration
Multicolored sprinkles and/or grated chocolate
*Makes about 4 dozen
Directions
To make the custard
Place water in the bottom half a double broiler and allow it to heat up.
In a separate bowl, mix milk, egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla together.
Place the custard mixture on the top half of the double boiler, and stir constantly, until it thickens to the right consistency -- about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the custard from the heat and cool.
When it is cooled, stir in the rum, place in an appropriate container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
To make the dough
Mix flour and salt together.
Add the eggs and work into a smooth dough, kneading for about 5 to 8 minutes.
On a lightly floured board roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into 2-inch squares.
To fry the pastries
Heat up the vegetable oil.
Drop two or three squares of dough at a time, and fry till golden, on both sides -- about 35 seconds to 55 seconds.
Remove with slotted spoon and drain onto absorbent kitchen paper.
Continue until all the dough is used up.
Cool.
Place in appropriate container and keep in fridge until ready to serve.
To make the pastries
Just before serving, place about a tablespoon of custard on each square.
Decorate with multicolored sprinkles and/or grated chocolate.
Notes
The recipe in this entry was adapted from "The Art of Sicilian Cooking" by Anna Muffoletto (New York: Doubleday, 1971). The cookbook can be borrowed for free at the on-line public library, www.openlibrary.org.... These pastries are called "Turks' Heads," though to my eye they look more like Turkish-style hats than heads. They have a pleasant enough taste, but they they don't stay fresh for long. Comments and photo: Mary Melfi. |
