There are so many people out there who love to eat breakfast for dinner. Since I don’t have an appetite in the morning, I am one of them! This recipe is perfect for everyone alike, it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Stratas are a bake made with eggs and bread. You could describe it as a bread pudding, but I think that is a stretch. The best thing about strata is that you can prepare it ahead of time and cook it the day you need it.
In this recipe, they put plastic wrap around the strata and weighed it down. You really don’t have to do this, you can place it in the refrigerator without it. I think they wanted to give a specific shape. Just make sure you keep it in the fridge for over an hour if not more, so the ingredients have time to infuse well. The strata gets puffy and beautiful while baking in the oven, and kind of depuffs 5 minutes after you have taken it out. No worries, it will still taste amazing.
Another reason strata is amazing, you can use whatever ingredients you have in your pantry or fridge (in addition to the eggs and bread). When it comes to this dish, the more bread the better. It may seem like a lot of steps, but they are simple and you will cook up this dish in no time!
I loved this recipe, because it was a little more refined than a bread pudding, with all the same delicious taste. I loved the combination of spinach and Gruyere cheese. The addition of the wine gave it a more sophisticated taste. It was fun to make and honestly even more fun to eat.
This recipe is courtesy of Cooks Illustrated and will serve 4-5 people who will become regular finatics of breakfast for dinner!
Today’s hint: When cracking eggs, I tap them lightly on the counter into a separate bowl first. This way if any eggshells fall into the bowl you can scoop them out easily. If the egg shell is difficult to remove, try using a larger piece of eggshell to remove it. Works every time!
Ingredients for Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere
8-10 (1/2-inch thick) slices French or Italian bread
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 large shallots, minced
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup white wine
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded, (1 1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half and half
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225°F.
Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking.
When cooled, butter the bread slices on 1 side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Sauté shallots until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is warmed through, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.
Add wine to skillet, increase heat up to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.
Grease 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Arrange half of bread slices buttered side up in single layer in dish.
Sprinkle half of spinach mixture and 1/2 Gruyere evenly over bread slices.
Repeat with remaining bread slices, remaining spinach mixture, and 1/2 cup Gruyere.
Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined, then whisk in half and half, reduced wine, and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers.
Wrap dish tightly in plastic wrap, pressing plastic flush to surface of strata.
Weigh down strata (I used a flour package) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 325°F.
Remove dish from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Remove weights and plastic and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere evenly over the top of strata.
Bake until the edges and center are barely puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes.
Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Serve.
It’s that simple!
