I mentioned in my column this week that I’d made two different breakfast dishes on Thanksgiving morning. One was Easy Orange Rolls, which is in the Food section of the paper today (12/3). The other is this Strata, which is a fancy word for a breakfast casserole.
This turned out well, although it could have baked a bit longer. Next time, I’ll either cook it an hour and 15 minutes, or let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so before baking.
Strata
14 slices bread, crusts removed
1 cup diced cooked ham or bacon
2 cups shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
6 large eggs
3 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut bread into cubes. Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Make a layer with half of the bread cubes, arranging them so that they cover the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with ham, cheese, shallots and basil. Cover with remaining bread cubes.
Beat eggs and milk together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour the mixture over the top of the bread layer, saturating it evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover the strata and bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and lightly browned. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
