Breakfast Strata Frittata

6-8 Servings

            From The Joy of Cooking - Submitted by Ed & Loretta Thomas

This one-dish egg casserole is somewhere between a baked custard and French toast. Layers of day-old buttered bread form the base, and the addition of sausage, cheese, vegetables, or whatever strikes your fancy gives it character and flavor. An egg custard is then slowly poured over the top, and the whole thing is left in the refrigerator overnight to meld. The next morning, simpl bake it while the coffee brews.

Butter a 2 ½ quart casserole. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add:

            1 ½ lbs. of sausage

Brown the sausage for 5 minutes, breaking into pieces, add:

            2 cups sliced mushrooms

            ½ cup finely chopped onions

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine:

            4 large eggs, lightly beaten

            2 cups milk

Place in the bottom of the prepared baking dish a layer of:

            ½ to 1 large loaf day-old Italian bread, cut into cubes

Top with the sausage mixture and:

            1 ½ cup grated Swiss or Cheddar cheese

Slowly pour the milk and egg mixture over the top. Let the strata stand for at least 1 hour covered and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the top is nicely browned and bubbly, about 1 hour.

That's the basic. I use the 9x13 baking dish and double the eggs. 2-3 cups of milk and whatever vegs, meats and cheeses happen to be around. Bump the heat to 375 and it will cook in about 45 minutes.  I have to admit I often go by the look of the thing when I get stuff into the pan as I haven't looked at this recipe in YEARS. The bread should layer the bottom of the pan. Everything added into it would bring the level up to about ½ to 2/3 full.