How to make it perfect There are just a few ingredients, which makes the quality of the raw materials and the skill of the artisan fundamentally important. Sugars and fats must be perfectly blended to obtain a smooth dough. It must not be made too quickly, as the dough needs to rest for at least twelve hours in the refrigerator. It must appear silky, elastic and smooth. It is advisable to brush the dough with a water and sugar solution to make the pastry more suitable for storage. The cream should be whipped in a way so that it isn’t overly sweet. a maritozzo topped with a sugar decoration shaped as two hearts with an arrow shot through them. For those who could afford it, they would hide a precious gift inside, often a gold ring. It is because of this use that the name maritozzo is derived, which refers in a playful way to the Italian word for husband, “marito”. As often happens in the pastry world, there are many different versions. In and around Rome, it is filled with whipped cream, whereas in Ciociaria (South of Rome) it is consumed as is, with no filling. There are also different recipes from Italian regions other than Lazio. In the Marche region, it looks like a small baguette with raisins and is served with chestnuts and mulled wine. The Sicilian and Puglia versions are braid-shaped and covered with sugar. Today, you can find gluten-free and vegan versions. Some pastry chefs fill it with chocolate, pistachio cream, Chantilly cream, strawberries and whipped cream, ricotta or gelato. There is no shortage of savoury versions, filled with stracciatella, cherry tomatoes, salami and cheese, but also with vegetables. Its success has made it a gourmet product. Some chefs make them with anchovies and butter, meatballs, ricotta with pesto and tomatoes, prosciutto crudo and stracciatella, octopus and potato, porchetta and robiola cheese, salted cod and vegetables, salmon and arugula, white ragu with butternut squash and mortadella, with eggplant parmesan or Amatriciana sauce. 52 TRADITION
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