The Maritozzo – A husband’s gift to his wife
There is nothing better when in Rome than to have your morning cappuccino with a maritozzo at a café sitting within view of the famous Trevi Fountain. Life can be that good.
A brioche bun jammed in the center with luxurious cream, this palm-sized modern adaptation of Rome’s culinary invention can be found in bakeries throughout the city. Its ancestor was more utilitarian, minus the cream and sweetened with honey and dried fruit, providing needed calories for the common worker. During the Middle Ages, the bread was made with oil, raisins, pine nuts and candied oranges, and was the only sweet allowed to be eaten during Lent.
The word maritozzo, plural, maritozzi, is a twist on the word marito, meaning husband. Traditionally, husbands, and eventually boyfriends, would bequeath their wives or brides-to-be with this treat as a declaration of their love. A ring could often be hidden inside.
Maritozzi today are made with butter, eggs, sugar and flour, a standard brioche recipe. What makes this dessert so decadent is the stuffing of cream in the middle. And, if you make it yourself, you can enjoy it any time during the day, or offer it to your loved one to share.
Buon appetito!
