Strata - Spinach & Cheese

By mariannefeldman

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SPINACH AND GRUYÈRE
cooksillustrated.com
Makes one 8 by 8-inch strata, serving 6. Published November 1, 2001.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
When developing our breakfast strata recipe, we found that buttering whole, dried bread slices gave the dish good texture and richness. Carefully selecting and then sautéing just a few complementary ingredients for the filling removed excess moisture and prevented the casserole from becoming waterlogged. Our breakfast strata recipe calls for weighing the strata down overnight in the refrigerator before baking, which improves the strata’s texture and makes it the perfect make-ahead breakfast dish.

To weigh down the assembled strata, we found that two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.

Ingredients

• 8 - 10 slices supermarket French bread (1/2-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
• 4 medium shallots , minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dry
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup medium-dry white wine , such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 6 ounces Gruyère cheese , grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 6 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups half-and-half

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes; add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and shallots are combined, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

3. Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining spinach mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

4. Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 60 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.

STEP-BY-STEP
Assembling the Strata


1. Layer the bread and filling in the baking dish.


2. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the assembled layers.


3. Cover the surface flush with plastic wrap and weight the strata.


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