Tomato and Spinach Strata

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This dish made it to my table because I was looking for a more substantial strata to serve for a holiday brunch. As it happens, I actually found the dish to be too flavorful for the first meal of the day, but I do think that it might work for those of you who like to do breakfast for dinner or are in the market for a substantial lunch dish. I found the recipe for the strata in Eating Well magazine, and, as you'll see as you skim through the ingredient list, the strata tracks closely to most recipes for lasagna. Very closely. Only the addition of milk and the substitution of bread for noodles set it apart from the standard dish. There is nothing wrong with this dish and the recipe is easy to follow, but it is so much like the lasagna of memory, that you might want to stick to the real thing. If you decide to give this recipe a try, you'll want to use a sturdy bread, a well-flavored marinara sauce and let the dish sit overnight before baking it off. Here is how the strata is made.

Vegetable Strata

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This strata is a wonderful way to use the produce that floods green markets at this time of year. Better still, the dish is relatively easy to make. While there is some chopping involved, the strata comes together quickly and the finished dish makes a wonderful entree for a brunch or light supper. The recipe, which comes from Fine Cooking, is straight forward and easy to follow, and you'll have no problem with this dish, if you follow the recipe instructions. If you want to extract the most flavor from the vegetables, make sure they are browned before they are layered into the casserole. The browning is simple to accomplish if you do not crowd the pan and let the vegetables sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes before you flip them over. Unlike most strata, this one can be baked as soon as it is assembled, and that makes it a great candidate for a weeknight meatless meal. This is a nice recipe, and, if you are partial to egg dishes, I really think you'll like this one. Here's how it is made.

Vegetable Strata...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

Ingredients:
About a dozen 1/2-inch-thick slices French or Italian bread (enough to cover the bottom of your pan), day-old or lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, lightly crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk or a mixture of milk and cream
5 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
1 loosely packed cup basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium summer squash or zucchini, or 1 of each
2 ripe tomatoes

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8x8-inch baking dish. Rub top of each slice of bread with garlic clove. Lay slices in dish in one layer, cutting them into pieces where necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
2) Measure milk in a 1-quart measure, preferably one with a spout. (Or measure it and transfer it to a bowl.) Add eggs, half of the cheese, red pepper flakes, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously to beat eggs and to combine. Add basil and stir gently. Set aside.
3) In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and colors lightly, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the squash, cut them lengthwise into quarters and, holding quarters together, slice them into pieces about 1/3 inch thick. Stir squash into onions, spread in a single layer, and let sit undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes to encourage browning; check color before you turn them.
4) Meanwhile, halve and seed tomatoes. Coarsely chop them. When squash is lightly browned on both sides and crisp-tender, add tomatoes, stir to toss, and take vegetables off the heat.
5) With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to baking dish, spreading them evenly over bread. Give milk and egg mixture a stir and gently pour it all into the dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake until milk and egg mixture sets, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes, slice into squares with the edge of a spatula, and use the spatula to lift out the pieces. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Banana Muffins

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Three Years Ago Today: Salmon Chowder

Asparagus and Mushroom Strata

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While it is starting to get spindly, asparagus is still available in our local farmers' markets. I've been wanting to make this strata for ages, but for one reason or another kept putting it off. I finally decided it was foolish not to try it while asparagus is so cheap and plentiful. I always welcome recipes that make company breakfast or brunch easier to do and I like stratas because they can be assembled the night before they're needed. This one, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, is really easy to assemble and it is a pleasant way to start the day. If you are looking for a recipe that will simplify the serving of breakfast or brunch, you might want to give this one a try. It will never replace Eggs Benedict, but it's easy to do and festive. Here's the recipe.

Asparagus and Mushroom Strata...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
12 slices French or Italian bread, cut into 4x1x1-inch sticks
6 eggs
2-1/4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Clean asparagus; snap off woody bases. Cut thick spears in half lengthwise. Cut spears into 3-inch pieces. In a large saucepan bring a small amount of water to boiling. Add asparagus. Cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towels.
2) Lightly grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. In a large skillet heat oil. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until nearly all liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
3) In a bowl toss together the Swiss cheese and dillweed.
4) Cover bottom of baking dish with half of the bread sticks. Top with half of the mushrooms, half of the cheese mixture, and half of the asparagus. Repeat with remaining mushrooms, cheese mixture, and asparagus. Top with remaining bread pieces.
5) In a bowl beat together eggs and half-and-half. Pour mixture over layers in dish. Press lightly with back of a spoon to thoroughly moisten bread. Sprinkle grated cheese over top. Cover and chill 2 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

To Make Ahead: Layer the strata and pour the egg mixture over layers. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, as directed above.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus Soup - One Perfect Bite

Spinach and Pancetta Strata - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's time for the April challenge at Recipes to Rival. This month's challenge, chosen by Temperama of High on the Hog, was a Giada De Laurentis recipe for a Spinach and Pancetta Strata. It's a wonderful recipe for this time of year. It can be assembled the night before serving and that makes it a natural for for a Mother's Day brunch. I cut all the ingredients in half, but made no other changes to the recipe we were asked to prepare. Those of you who have large families to entertain will appreciate the ease with which this can be assembled. The strata is simple to make and it uses readily available ingredients. It is also delicious. One of the nice things about Giada's recipes is their consistency. They are never great but they are always good and visually appealing. I hope you'll try this. You won't be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Spinach and Pancetta Strata...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Giada De Laurentis from Everyday Italian episode: My Family Favorites

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed Italian bread, from a 1-pound loaf
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
3 cups whole milk
10 large eggs

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a bowl. Add onion to pan drippings in same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and cooked pancetta.
2) Place half of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of cheese over the bread, then top with half of spinach mixture. Repeat layering.
3) Whisk milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5) Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks - One Perfect Bite
Smoked Salmon Frittata - One Perfect Bite
Individual Baked Omelets - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.