{"id":8440,"date":"2026-10-19T23:31:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T14:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/?post_type=sweetlore&p=8440"},"modified":"2026-10-31T18:50:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:50:35","slug":"maritozzo","status":"publish","type":"sweetlore","link":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/en\/sweetlore\/maritozzo\/","title":{"rendered":"Maritozzo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The maritozzo is known for its deep slit filled with white whipped cream. It is a sweet leavened bread loved in Rome, Italy, but items called by the same name also include breads with raisins and pine nuts and braided breads coated in sugar. The version filled with whipped cream is called maritozzo con la panna. Besides those in which a baked bun is filled with cream, there are versions with oil or fruit added to the dough, and the ingredients and methods vary by region and era.<\/p>\n

Filling an olive oil dough with whipped cream<\/h2>\n

The basic dough is made by kneading flour, eggs, sugar, milk, fat and other ingredients, letting it rise, shaping it into rounds or ovals, and baking it. The recipe (the proportions of ingredients and the method of preparation) of pastry chef Fabrizio Fiorani ferments a preferment of yeast, water and flour first and then adds it to the main dough. Once the dough has developed elasticity, olive oil is gradually worked in, and salt, raisins and pine nuts are mixed in. It is flavored with honey, orange peel and vanilla, refrigerated overnight after rising, and divided the next day to rise again.<\/p>\n

A slit is cut from the side into the baked and cooled bun, which is then filled with fresh cream whipped without sugar, smoothed flat, and finally dusted with powdered sugar. No sugar is added to the cream; the sweetness comes from the bun and the final dusting of powdered sugar. Maritozzo dough is not limited to butter-rich brioche.<\/p>\n

A Lenten maritozzo recorded in an 1833 poem<\/h2>\n

Some of the maritozzi eaten during Lent, called quaresimale, are made with oil, pine nuts, raisins and honey. This bread also appears in the Treccani dictionary as the Roman Lenten maritozzo. The bread eaten during a period of abstinence and today\u2019s maritozzo, generously filled with whipped cream, differ in both their ingredients and the occasions on which they are eaten.<\/p>\n

In Giuseppe Gioachino Belli\u2019s sonnet \u201cLa quaresima,\u201d dated April 4, 1833, the narrator wittily says that during Lent he buys them every day and eats them even at supper, a meal he does not usually have. The author\u2019s note explains that it is a diamond-shaped bread containing flour, oil, sugar and sometimes candied fruit, anise or raisins, and that it was eaten morning and evening in Roman caf\u00e9s during the fasting period. The large layer of white cream seen today does not appear in this description.<\/p>\n

A name tied to \u201chusband\u201d and the tradition of a gift for one\u2019s fianc\u00e9e<\/h2>\n

The name is linked to marito<\/em>, \u201chusband\u201d in Roman dialect. According to a story told by the tourism office, young men gave them to their fianc\u00e9es, hiding a ring or a small jewel inside. There is also a story that they were decorated with a heart made of sugar; these traditions link the origin of the name to a gift for a sweetheart.<\/p>\n

Treccani also suggests that the name may derive from wedding customs. On the other hand, what appears in the 1833 poem introduced earlier is a bread bought and eaten every day during the fasting period. The maritozzo has both a tradition as a gift for a sweetheart and a history as an everyday Lenten food.<\/p>\n

The sugar-coated braided breads of Bari and Sicily<\/h2>\n

The Bari maritozzo described by Puglian cooking instructor Nunzia Bellomo is made by rolling a milk-and-butter dough into ropes, braiding them, letting the braid rise, and baking it. While still hot, it is brushed with water and coated with granulated sugar; there is no step of cutting a slit and filling it with cream. The sugar clinging to the braided surface adds sweetness.<\/p>\n

The maritozzo that Chiara in Sicily made, aiming for the flavor of a bakery in Agrigento, is also a braided bread, but it is made with flour, water, sugar, yeast and a small amount of lard, and coated with milk and sugar fresh from the oven. Although similar in shape, it differs from the Bari version made with milk and butter in the liquid and fat used in the dough.<\/p>\n

Maritozzi from various regions made with raisins, citrus or anise<\/h2>\n

The creator behind \u201cLa Penisola del Gusto,\u201d who remembers going to the bakery with their grandmother in Romagna, mixes raisins into a dough of milk, eggs and butter, bakes it in an elongated shape, and while it is still warm brushes it with water or milk and coats it with granulated sugar. This version also has no cream filling; its sweetness comes from the raisins mixed into the dough and the sugar on the surface.<\/p>\n

In Marche, it is a bread scented with candied orange, eaten for breakfast or as a snack. The version made in the household of Francesca, who is from Abruzzo, uses raisins, anise, lemon peel and olive oil, is baked into an oval, and is finished with sugar syrup and granulated sugar. Even among maritozzi without whipped cream, the use of fruit and spices varies by region and household.<\/p>\n

\n\"Cream-filled\n
A maritozzo served at a caf\u00e9 in Rome\u2019s Gianicolense district (October 30, 2019). The slit is filled to the brim with white cream. Photo: Gerjantd \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>. Original-size image obtained. No alterations to the content or cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n
\n\"A\n
The counter at Gelateria Mam\u00f2 in Rome (December 31, 2023). Maritozzi with different surface decorations and fillings are lined up. Photo: Brunnaiz \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>. Reduced-size version from Commons obtained. No alterations to the content or cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

A sweet breakfast bread and maritozzi for meals<\/h2>\n

In Rome it is eaten at breakfast with coffee, and Roscioli\u2019s caf\u00e9 also offers it for breakfast and brunch. Besides sweet versions made with chocolate or jam, there is also the maritozzo salato, filled with meat, fish or vegetables. When a slit is cut into the bun and fillings are tucked inside, it can also become a bread eaten as a meal.<\/p>\n

\n\"Cream-filled\n
A maritozzo from Caff\u00e8 Nero (January 5, 2025, location unknown). According to the product description quoted by the author, sweetened cream is sandwiched in a citrus-scented bun made with butter. Photo: Andy Li \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC0<\/a>. Reduced-size version from Commons obtained. Provided under CC0 by the photographer. No alterations to the content or cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n
\n\"Pink\n
A sakura maritozzo served at the caf\u00e9 of the Sakurazaka46 exhibition \u201c\u65b0\u305b\u754c\u201d (Shin Sekai) at Roppongi Museum (August 13, 2023). A Japanese adaptation combining a pink bun and cream. Photo: \u30a6\u30a3\u8cb4\u516c\u5b50 \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>. Reduced-size version from Commons obtained. No alterations to the content or cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Commercialization in Fukuoka and its spread in Japan<\/h2>\n

In a 2021 radio interview, Ryota Hirako of Amam Dacotan said that during the period of the infectious disease outbreak, he came up with a signature product to shift customers who were concentrated in the morning to the afternoon. Taking photos by travelers to Rome as a clue, he combined a brioche to his liking with whipped cream and sold it, which drew a strong response on Instagram. An item from a local bakery, inspired by travel photos, spread its reputation through images.<\/p>\n

In the same year, 2021, Yamazaki Baking announced a nationwide release starting in June. The product sandwiched citrus-flavored whipped cream in a brioche made with orange peel. Some of the cream-filled maritozzi sold in Japan have a citrus aroma in both the bun and the cream.<\/p>\n

Glossary<\/h2>\n

Ryota Hirako<\/strong>: Owner-chef of the Fukuoka bakery Amam Dacotan. He described in an interview how the product came to be developed and sold in Japan.<\/p>

Romagna \/ Marche \/ Abruzzo<\/strong>: Names of areas and regions spanning central to north-central Italy.<\/p>

Agrigento<\/strong>: A town in southern Sicily.<\/p>

Lard<\/strong>: A fat made from pork fat.<\/p>

Anise<\/strong>: An herb whose seeds and other parts are used for flavoring.<\/p>

Francesca \/ Chiara<\/strong>: Cooks who publish family recipes based on their experiences in Abruzzo and Sicily, respectively.<\/p>

Con la panna<\/strong>: Italian for \u201cwith cream.\u201d Added when referring to maritozzi filled with whipped cream.<\/p>

Preferment<\/strong>: A portion of the yeast, flour, water and other ingredients mixed and fermented in advance, then added to the main dough.<\/p>

Fabrizio Fiorani<\/strong>: A pastry chef who publishes a maritozzo recipe using a preferment and olive oil.<\/p>

Lent \/ Quaresimale<\/strong>: Lent is the period of abstinence before Easter. Quaresimale is a word for foods and other things associated with this season, and in Rome it is also a name for maritozzi made with oil.<\/p>

Giuseppe Gioachino Belli<\/strong>: A 19th-century poet who wrote in Roman dialect. He described the maritozzo in an 1833 poem and its notes.<\/p>

Nunzia Bellomo<\/strong>: A cooking instructor who shares the food culture of Puglia. She presents the braided maritozzo of Bari.<\/p>

Maritozzo salato<\/strong>: A maritozzo filled with savory ingredients, intended as a meal.<\/p>

References<\/h2>\n
  1. \n

    Marit\u00f2zzo – Significato ed etimologia – Vocabolario – Treccani<\/a> \u2014 Broad definition of the bread; how certain the wedding origin is.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  2. \n

    Quare\u1e61imale – Significato ed etimologia – Vocabolario – Treccani<\/a> \u2014 Oil\/raisins\/honey for Lent.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  3. \n

    La quaresima – Wikisource<\/a> \u2014 1833: diamond-shaped oil bread and its ingredients\/caf\u00e9s.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  4. \n

    Ricetta Maritozzi golosi – La Ricetta di GialloZafferano<\/a> \u2014 Preferment and main dough, gradual addition of oil, overnight refrigeration, unsweetened cream after cooling.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  5. \n

    Maritozzi baresi, ovvero treccine lievitate con lo zucchero – Sale&Pepe<\/a> \u2014 Bari braided bread\/granulated sugar.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  6. \n

    Il maritozzo | Turismo Roma<\/a> \u2014 Gift tradition; variations for meals.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  7. \n

    roscioli caff\u00e8<\/a> \u2014 Breakfast and other offerings at the current caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  8. \n

    Yamazaki Baking, \u201cNotice of the Nationwide Release of Maritozzo (with Orange Peel)\u201d (May 25, 2021)<\/a> \u2014 The 2021 nationwide release in Japan and the product\u2019s composition.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  9. \n

    La Penisola del Gusto Maritozzi soffici all\u2019uvetta<\/a> \u2014 Recollection of going to the bakery with a grandmother in Romagna; milk, eggs, butter and raisins; elongated shape; liquid and granulated sugar applied while warm.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  10. \n

    Regione Marche Piatti e dolci tipici marchigiani<\/a> \u2014 Sweet bread scented with candied orange; breakfast and snacks.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  11. \n

    Francesca Maritozzi abruzzesi \u2013 Lo scrigno del buongusto<\/a> \u2014 Family memories; version with raisins, anise, lemon and olive oil; preferment; oval shape; finished with sugar syrup and granulated sugar; no cream.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  12. \n

    Chiara Maritozzi siciliani \u2013 La mia pasticceria moderna<\/a> \u2014 Braided bread made with lard and water, adapted from memories of Agrigento; milk and sugar after baking.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  13. \n

    RKB Radio, interview with Ryota Hirako himself: \u201cWhat Is the Surprising Reason Behind the Birth of the Maritozzo, as Told by the One Who Sparked the Boom?\u201d 2021-11-30<\/a> \u2014 The development aim of shifting the morning rush to the afternoon, his reference to travelers\u2019 photos, and his own recollection of the response on Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The maritozzo is a sweet bread emblematic of Rome. It is best known as a soft oval bun split lengthwise and generously filled with white whipped cream. The large surfaces of golden-brown crust and white cream face each other, and a single bite offers both the lightness of the bread and the mellowness of the dairy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7462,"menu_order":211,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_parade_sweetlore_meta":{"en":"Maritozzo","subtitle":"A soft bun split open and generously filled with whipped cream","topics":"The slit becomes the vessel\uff0fFrom Lenten bread to a gift for a sweetheart\uff0fFrom breakfast to more than just sweets","country":"Rome, Italy, and elsewhere","show_toc":true,"ingredients":["cream","egg"],"texture":["smooth"],"occasion":[],"method":["baked","fermented"],"season":[]},"footnotes":""},"sweetlore_category":[166],"class_list":["post-8440","sweetlore","type-sweetlore","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"sweetlore_related_products":null,"sweetlore_related_faqs":null,"sweetlore_related_voices":null,"sweetlore_related_mode":"auto","sweetlore_related_articles":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t