flipMaritozzo con la Panna
Maritozzo con la Panna
Why this dish? In the early morning, in the working-class neighborhoods of Rome where Magnani had her roots, the maritozzo split and filled with whipped cream was eaten standing at a bar counter, coffee in hand — a simple and hearty pleasure, reflecting her appetite for life without calculation.
A soft Roman brioche, lightly perfumed with orange, split and stuffed to the brim with whipped cream. The street indulgence of Rome, to be devoured at the counter.
In the morning, before shooting, I'd stop by the corner bar. We didn't sit down, we didn't have time: a still-warm maritozzo, split in two, stuffed with panna until it overflowed, and a coffee black as night. You bite into it, the cream runs down your chin, and you laugh. That's Rome, my dear: no fuss, you grab happiness with your fingers.
- •Flour — for baking (base)
- •Sourdough or brewer's yeast — enough (leavening)
- •Eggs — a few (softness)
- •Honey or sugar — moderately (sweetness)
- •Orange zest — a little (signature fragrance)
- •Mild olive oil or butter — a little (fat)
- •Fresh cream for whipping — generously (filling)
Maritozzo con la Panna
A soft Roman brioche, lightly perfumed with orange, split and stuffed to the brim with whipped cream. The street indulgence of Rome, to be devoured at the counter.
Why this dish? In the early morning, in the working-class neighborhoods of Rome where Magnani had her roots, the maritozzo split and filled with whipped cream was eaten standing at a bar counter, coffee in hand — a simple and hearty pleasure, reflecting her appetite for life without calculation.
In the morning, before shooting, I'd stop by the corner bar. We didn't sit down, we didn't have time: a still-warm maritozzo, split in two, stuffed with panna until it overflowed, and a coffee black as night. You bite into it, the cream runs down your chin, and you laugh. That's Rome, my dear: no fuss, you grab happiness with your fingers.
Ingredients (period version)
- Flour — for baking (base)
- Sourdough or brewer's yeast — enough (leavening)
- Eggs — a few (softness)
- Honey or sugar — moderately (sweetness)
- Orange zest — a little (signature fragrance)
- Mild olive oil or butter — a little (fat)
- Fresh cream for whipping — generously (filling)
Ingredients
- Strong flour (T45) — 300 g (base)
- Fresh baker's yeast — 12 g (leavening)
- Egg — 1 + 1 yolk (softness)
- Sugar — 60 g (sweetness)
- Orange zest — 1 orange (signature fragrance)
- Softened butter — 50 g (fat)
- Warm milk — 100 ml (liquid)
- Heavy cream — 300 ml (filling)
- Icing sugar — 2 tbsp (filling)
Method
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk; mix with flour, sugar, egg, yolk, and zest.
- Knead in the softened butter until smooth; let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Shape into small oval buns; let rise again for 1 hour.
- Brush with egg wash and bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes, until golden; cool completely.
- Whip the cold cream with icing sugar until stiff.
- Split each bun, generously fill with cream, smooth with a spatula, and dust with icing sugar.
How it was made : The maritozzo is one of the oldest Roman sweets, inherited from Lenten pastries; its name may come from 'marito' (husband), as fiancés would give them to their betrothed. Before modern whipped cream, it was eaten plain or studded with raisins, pine nuts, and candied orange zest.
The contemporary twist : A touch of grated orange zest on the cream brings back its original fragrance, in a trendy bar version.
Anna Magnani · Charactorium
