Testa di Turco Festival

A festival in the heart of baroque Scicli

The Testa di Turco Festival takes place in Scicli, a stunning baroque town in the province of Ragusa and a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Val di Noto, in the heart of south-eastern Sicily. Every year, between late May and early June, Piazza Italia and the historic centre transform into a large open-air workshop dedicated to the city's most beloved pastry: the testa di turco. The event is held in conjunction with the Feast of the Madonna delle Milizie, the patron saint of Scicli, traditionally celebrated on the last Saturday of May.

The pastry of the defeated

The testa di turco is a large cream puff shaped like an Arab turban, filled with custard or sweet cow's milk ricotta and traditionally paired with local Moscato wine. Its name and history are rooted in the battle of 1091, when the Normans led by Count Roger defeated the Saracens of Emir Belcane on the plains of Donnalucata. Legend tells of the apparition of the Madonna dei Milici in support of the Christians. Curiously, the pastry is considered the "trophy of the defeated": it was the Arabs who introduced the refined pastry techniques to Sicily that still survive in this Scicli specialty today.

Show cooking and master pastry chefs

The heart of the festival is dedicated to the art of pastry. During the tasting days, the city's master pastry chefs reveal the secrets of their craft through live show cooking, offering the pastry in various versions: the classic recipe with custard, the carob variant, the gluten-free and lactose-free version, and even a surprising savoury version. The participating families include historic names in local pastry-making, in collaboration with the CNA of Scicli.

The Testa di Turco of the Year and the giant pastry

The event features major highlights: the award ceremony for the "Testa di Turco of the Year", a roundtable discussion between pastry chefs and institutions, and above all, the preparation and cutting of a spectacular giant testa di turco, offered for free tasting to the public. Exhibitions, concerts, and a theatrical re-enactment of the 1091 battle complete a programme that combines taste, culture, and entertainment.

Between indulgence and devotion

Experiencing the Testa di Turco Festival means immersing yourself in the most authentic soul of Scicli and the entire Iblean Sicily. As the stalls fill with the scent of vanilla and cinnamon, the historic centre welcomes the faithful for religious celebrations in honour of the Madonna delle Milizie. An appointment that tells how, in this corner of the Ragusa area, the confectionery and devotional traditions have been intertwined for centuries in a single, irresistible popular festival.