Sausage, Fontina and Rosemary Strata

By janicecraig

Gasparilla Party food

Ingredients

• 8 ounces turkey sausage , casings removed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion , chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 loaf egg or country bread (preferably 1 to 2 days old), cut into 1/2-inch-thick
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 8 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tomatoes , sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 12 ounces Fontina or Swiss cheese , grated (4 cups)

Preparation

Step 1

Butter an 8″ x 12″ baking dish.In a large skillet over medium heat, break up sausage and sauté with olive oil and onion until brown (10-12 min.), remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, if using fresh bread, lightly toast and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk rosemary, cream, half-and-half, eggs, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
Lay half of the bread into the buttered baking dish, sprinkle with half of sausage mixture, half of the tomato slices, and half of the cheese. Repeat layering with remaining bread, sausage, tomato, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over top, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover and place dish on a baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving