Roman „maritozzi” (oval- shaped buns)

The Roman maritozzi, specialty of bakers rather than confectioners, once were a characteristic sweet during Lent, probably because of its simplicity. It was made in fact with yeast dough, mixed with a tablespoon of oil, a handful of raisins and one of pine-seeds, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoon of sugar. After having mixed the ingredients well with the dough, the bakers used to form lots of little „maritozzi” in the characteristic slightly oval shape, and after leaving them to rise for half a day, they were then baked in a very hot oven.