In England breakfast is savory, in France it’s almost neutral with a buttery but slightly sweet bread, and in Italy? Well it definitely depends on the city, but when in Rome breakfast looks pretty much like a dessert. Here this whipped cream filled bread, called maritozzi, is an addictive breakfast you’ve been missing out on.
This bread’s history is as sweet as its taste. Once upon a time maritozzi had a completely different composition. The bread was infused olive oil and studded with raisins and orange and made seasonally around Lent (which restricted the use of butter). However maritozzi wasn’t reserved for Lent.
In fact the first Friday in March was like an earlier version of Valentine’s Day, where men would give the treat to their love interests. Later in the 19th-century men were also known to propose to women, hiding the ring in the whipped cream. The Latin root of the word maritozzi and maritozzo — marito — means husband and refers to matrimony.
Nowadays maritozzi have taken on a more secular meaning as they are available year round, as both sweet cream filled and savory burrata filled mini breads. Throughout Roman bakeries the brioche has lost some of its raisins and oranges, but pastry chefs are making interesting variations with different flavored fillings.
Unlike other breakfasts that are hand held and easy to eat on-the-go, a maritozzo takes the steps out of your step and makes you pull back and savor the moment. The bread is delicate and the whipped cream oozes out of the bread when you bite into it, meaning you need to enjoy it a bit more leisurely. If you want to get your hands on these mini bits of creamy, carb-y heaven, there are great recipes out there. Here in this video, you get a start to finish process of making the brioche and filling from scratch.
The bread isn’t crazy, the only problem is that you need time to rest and proof the dough. Can’t wait? No problem! Many stores and fancy bakeries carry small brioche rolls. This store bought shortcut won’t be as tasty as the homemade version but then you can put more effort into the whipped cream and fillings. In the video the maritozzi are filled with a variety of fruits and nuts.