New Years Day Strata
Strata is the perfect make-ahead dish for a lazy New Years morning. Assemble it the night before, let it rest in the fridge, and bake it off in the morning. It’s warm, comforting, savory, and just the thing for brunch. Strata is endlessly adaptable. This recipe suggests using spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and gruyere but bacon, sausage, or any form of veggie or greens plus cheese you have on hand would be equally delicious.
Wishing you the most prosperous New Year from our family to yours!
New Years Strata:
Yields: 1, 9x13-inch casserole
Ingredients
1, 2# Loaf White Sandwich Bread, cut into 1” cubes
12 eggs
2.5 cups 1/2 & 1/2
2 TB Kosher Salt
1 TB Ground Black Pepper
2 leeks, thoroughly washed and thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
1# bag frozen chopped spinach, defrosted.
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, finely chopped
1.5 cups grated Gruyere cheese (or white cheddar)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole with cooking spray. Dice the bread into 1” cubes.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, half & half, salt & pepper. Add the bread cubes and allow bread to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Saute leeks in a little olive oil until translucent. Add defrosted spinach and cook until all the liquid from the spinach has cooked off. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes. Also vegetable mixture to cool to room temperature.
Add the cooled vegetables to the soaked bread cubes and stir to combine. Stir in 1 cup of cheese, reserving 1/2 cup for the top of the casserole. Pour bread mixture int the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Cover casserole with parchment and then with foil to tighten. Bake, covered on a baking sheet for about 35 minutes. Remove foil/ parchment and bake another 15-20 minutes longer until center is puffed and golden. Serve warm with a green salad or a breakfast side like bacon or sausage.
