This is a fabulous Breakfast Strata, but it also makes a delicious lunch or dinner.
Two of the most versatile foods on the planet have to be eggs and bread. The humble egg is an essential ingredient in so many dishes, but it is also the star of its own show in so many forms (hard-boiled, deviled, over-easy, omelets, egg salad). And bread? Well, we wouldn’t have some of our all-time favorite foods like sandwiches, French toast, garlic bread, avocado toast, or bruschetta if it weren’t for bread. So when there’s a dish that combines eggs and bread together, you know it’s going to be great.
Enter breakfast strata. And this one is better than great. In fact, it’s outstanding because after day-old cubes of bread soak up a rich egg custard, it bakes up into a puffy, golden, delectable dream. And our breakfast strata also includes smoky ham, fresh spinach, onions, and melty cheddar cheese. Flavor bomb!
One key to a successful breakfast strata is the layering (versus mixing) of the ingredients. Another key is the whisking of the eggs, milk, and spices together to get a frothy, airy mixture that will permeate all of the layers. A final key is patience. The strata takes about an hour to bake, but it’s well worth the wait (and gives you some time to make some other things to go with it).
What, Exactly, Is A Strata And Why Is It Called That?
Well, the name probably has something to do with the science of geology, where strata refers to distinct layers of rock or soil that are stacked upon one another. In the art of cooking, strata also refers to layers; the first one being bread, then meat and/or vegetables are layered on top of that, and then the cheese. The egg mixture that gets poured all over the top seeps down through all the layers.
Strata belongs to that class of custardy egg dishes that includes quiche and frittatas, but each one has its own distinguishing characteristics. Quiche, which we associate with France though its origins were probably German, is baked in a pie or pastry crust. Frittatas, which come from Italy, are crustless and more like an open-faced omelet, yet unlike an omelette because although they begin on the stovetop, frittatas are finished in the oven. The strata hails from America and always contains the layer of cubed bread, which soaks up the eggy custard to give it its distinctively soft yet marvelously chewy texture.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooked and cooled breakfast strata can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
You can use any kind of day-old bread you happen to have on hand for breakfast strata, but I’ve found that Sourdough Bread gives this dish a great tangy flavor. That said, I have also made breakfast strata with slightly sweet and buttery Challah and it was superb. One time, I made it with leftover Cheese Bread, and we all loved how the cheddar in that bread just intensified the cheesy goodness of the strata.
A great brunch menu always includes both breakfast and lunch dishes. One of my favorite brunch spreads features breakfast strata, this Streusel French Toast Casserole, a light, fresh dish like Roast Chicken And Vegetable Salad, and a seriously flavorful pasta, such as Pesto Pasta Salad topped with Sautéed Shrimp. And, of course, I’ll always throw in a basket of Blueberry Muffins, a platter of crispy bacon, some delicious savory Cheese Scones, and some Homemade Butter.
Breakfast Strata
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing
- 10 cups day-old bread cubed
- 1 2/3 cups cooked ham cubed
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 9 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch inch baking dish with butter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the baking dish, layer the bread cubes, ham, chopped spinach, and onion. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
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