Meet the Easy, Adaptable Egg Strata: The Perfect No-Fuss Food for Any Occasion
Meet the Easy, Adaptable Egg Strata: The Perfect No-Fuss Food for Any Occasion
Egg strata recipes combine the culinary chic of a fancy quiche or oven-cooked frittata with the sheer satisfying simplicity of a big dish casserole. Whether you like it sweet or savory, this dish makes it easy to adapt your current cupboard offerings to any culinary crunch. From a basic breakfast or brunch to the perfect potluck offering, cheese and egg blend beautifully with just about any combination of fresh veggies, herbs, and cooked or cured meats.
Basic Strata Ingredient Checklist
It only takes a little prep work to get a simple strata started. Recipes typically call for the whole mixture to set overnight in the refrigerator, so this is the perfect dish to get ready the night before for an early morning bake or next-day occasion. Basic ingredients for a simple strata include:
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 cup finely minced onion
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup diced bell pepper
- 1 large bunch chard or kale, washed, de-stemmed, and finely shredded
- 2-3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- About 8 cups of 1-inch cubed bread
- 6 ounces of shredded cheese, divided
- 3 cups milk
- 6 large eggs
Sauté, Layer, Set and Bake
To get started coat a 9-by-3 baking dish with cooking spray and begin heating your oil or butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Once thoroughly heated, add onion, pepper, and mushroom and cook for several minutes, until softened. Add kale or chard and heat until well wilted (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and stir gently for about a minute, then add spices, mix thoroughly, and remove from heat.
Now you are ready to layer your strata. Place half of your bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish, top with half of your sautéed vegetables and half the shredded cheese, then repeat with the remaining bread, vegetables, and cheese. Finally whisk together the eggs, milk, and any additional desired pepper and salt and pour evenly over the entire dish. Cover the whole thing with foil and let set in the refrigerator overnight (or at least for a few hours).
When ready, simply preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for about an hour, or until you get a golden brown topping and firm center.
Simple Substitutions for a Satiating Strata Surprise
As long as you keep your basic egg, milk, cheese and vegetable ratio fairly even, egg strata is an incredibly versatile recipe. You can also easily add meat to the mix; just make sure any added meat is thoroughly pre-cooked before you mix it in with the whisked egg. While you search for your next favorite strata combination, here are a few ideas for easy alternate recipes that are sure to satisfy:
- Tart apple, prosciutto, and aged cheddar
- Zucchini, sweet red pepper, mushroom and Muenster
- Asparagus, ham, and a mix of Swiss and Monterey Jack cheese
- Spinach, bacon, green onion, and extra sharp cheddar
- Italian sausage, mozzarella, tomato, and basil
Egg strata is a preeminently experimental food, so feel free to play with substitutions to suit the season, special occasion, or just your current cupboard contents!
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 cup finely minced onion
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup diced bell pepper
- 1 large bunch chard or kale, washed, de-stemmed, and finely shredded
- 2-3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or basil
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- About 8 cups of 1-inch cubed bread
- 6 ounces of shredded cheese, divided
- 3 cups milk
- 6 large eggs
- To get started coat a 9-by-3 baking dish with cooking spray and begin heating your oil or butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Once thoroughly heated, add onion, pepper, and mushroom and cook for several minutes, until softened. Add kale or chard and heat until well wilted (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and stir gently for about a minute, then add spices, mix thoroughly, and remove from heat.
- Now you are ready to layer your strata. Place half of your bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish, top with half of your sautéed vegetables and half the shredded cheese, then repeat with the remaining bread, vegetables, and cheese. Finally whisk together the eggs, milk, and any additional desired pepper and salt and pour evenly over the entire dish. Cover the whole thing with foil and let set in the refrigerator overnight (or at least for a few hours).
- When ready, [url href=”http://lifehacker.com/5991921/master-these-oven-basics-to-expand-your-cooking-repertoire” target=”_blank”]simply preheat the oven[/url]to 350°F and bake for about an hour, or until you get a golden brown topping and firm center.
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