Tuscan Strata Recipe
This strata is packed with flavor from mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and sausage and is a tasty twist on your traditional brunch bake.
Ingredients
- 3½ cups Italian Bread, cubed (½ large loaf)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
- 2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
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Instructions
- Place cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.3½ cups Italian Bread,
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute sausage, shallot and Tuscan seasoning until sausage is no longer pink. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sausage mixture to bread cubes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 16 ounces Italian sausage, 1 shallot,, salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning
- Return skillet to the stove and melt the butter. Add mushrooms and sauté until all liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms to bread mixture.2 tablespoons butter, 8 ounces mushrooms,
- Pat sun dried tomatoes dry and add to bread and sausage mixture. Add shredded cheeses to bread mixture and stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan.1 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil,, 2 cups shredded Asiago cheese, 2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
- Whisk eggs and half and half together in a bowl. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread mixture in pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight so bread can soak up liquid.8 eggs, 2 cups half and half
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove strata from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for 60 minutes or until center is set. If it starts to brown too early, cover with foil. Let strata sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
Bread: Italian bread is our bread of choice for this dish. You will need one half of a large loaf for this recipe.
Sausage: We used Jimmy Dean sausage, but feel free to use your favorite. Want some extra heat? Use a hot italian sausage.
Vegetables: Mushrooms and shallots are sliced and sauteed to add an earthy flavor to the dish.
Dry Spices: You can use a Tuscan or Italian Seasoning mix for this dish.
Half and Half: Half and half gives the creamy flavor to this dish. It won't be as fluffy if you use milk in its place.
Eggs: We love the rich yellow yolks of pasture raised eggs.
Sundried tomatoes: Buy the jar packed in oil and herbs for extra flavor. Pat them dry before adding to the dish.
Cheeses: Fontina and Asiago cheeses are combined to add a nutty flavor to the strata and melt beautifully!
Expert Tips
✘ Use dry or stale bread cubes for even better texture in this egg bake.
✘ Beat the eggs well before mixing with the cream to ensure a smooth and creamy filling.
✘ Shred your own cheeses for the best melting. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking ingredients to prevent sticking.
✘ Let it rest before you serve. It may seem silly but the resting time is important. The strata sets as it cools slightly and is much easier to cut and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 24gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 842mgPotassium: 448mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 808IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 391mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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