Sicilian-inspired cannoli overnight oats: a different kind of breakfast
For those who like to start their day with something sweet, these Sicilian-inspired cannoli overnight oats offer a welcome change. The flavors of the famous Italian pastry are wonderfully transformed into a simple breakfast. You can skip the frying of batter and instead prepare everything the night before.
- 50 g rolled oats
- 120 ml milk (of your choice)
- 2. Ricotta
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 1 EL Honig
- 1 TL Vanilleextrakt
- 10 g dark chocolate
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
- A little candied orange peel 🛒 (optional)
- Put the oats and milk into a glass or bowl and mix everything thoroughly.
- Mix ricotta, yogurt, honey and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and add the mixture to the oats.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
- Stir the dark chocolate pieces, chopped pistachios, and lemon zest into the oat mixture. Optionally, you can add the candied orange peel.
- Place the covered glass in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to infuse.
- In the morning, garnish your overnight oats with extra pistachios, chocolate pieces, and other toppings of your choice.
For those who like to start their day with something sweet, these Sicilian-inspired cannoli overnight oats offer a welcome change. The flavors of the famous Italian pastry are wonderfully transformed into a simple breakfast. You can skip the frying of batter and instead prepare everything the night before. The next morning, a creamy bowl awaits you, its flavor strongly reminiscent of the popular filled cannoli.
Recipe for Cannoli Overnight Oats
The classic version originates from Sicily and consists of a crispy pastry shell. Inside lies a rich ricotta-based filling. Typically, this cream is enhanced with delicate notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Often, a touch of grated lemon zest adds a fresh element. We've adopted this characteristic blend of mild cheese and warm spices for our oatmeal. The ricotta makes the base wonderfully creamy and provides a great foundation for the morning.
Originally, these deep-fried pastries were served in Italy primarily as a dessert after a large meal or on special festive occasions. Now, these sweet rolls are enjoyed worldwide in bakeries and cafés as an accompaniment to espresso. Since the traditional version is quite rich due to the deep-fried dough and high sugar content, it's not ideal for an everyday start to the day. However, combining them with filling rolled oats makes them much more suitable for daily life. You get the full flavor of the cream while also enjoying a nutritious meal.
The principle of preparing it overnight is incredibly simple and eliminates any stress in the morning. The oats soak in the liquid for several hours, becoming especially soft and easy to digest. At the same time, the spices have ample time to infuse the mixture with their full aroma. Cinnamon and vanilla permeate the entire portion much more intensely than if you were to mix everything together just before eating. When you take the bowl out of the refrigerator in the morning, all you need to do is give it a quick stir.
To get even closer to the original, texture plays a crucial role. Since the softened flakes are very soft, they initially lack the crispy counterpart of the fried batter. Chopped pistachios or a few chocolate chips are a wonderful way to address this. They add the necessary crunch to your breakfast and perfectly complement the Sicilian flavor profile. Pistachios are ubiquitous in southern Italian cuisine anyway and pair beautifully with the slight acidity of the ricotta. This creates a balanced blend of creamy, soft, and crunchy.