Description
Ina Garten’s breakfast strata offers a delightful morning feast with layers of crusty bread, savory ham, and melted cheese. Rich custard and carefully selected ingredients create a comforting casserole that will satisfy hungry breakfast crowds with minimal morning preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Proteins:
- 8 cups (340 grams) cubed bread (big chunks of a crispy baguette or sourdough loaf)
- 8 slices uncooked bacon
- 9 large eggs
- 1 and ½ cups (150 grams) shredded parmesan cheese
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- ½ cup (75 grams) chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 3 packed cups (90 grams) fresh chopped spinach
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Flaky sea salt
- Extra parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 x 13 inches (23 x 33 centimeters) baking dish by generously coating the interior with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring comprehensive coverage to prevent sticking.
- Evenly distribute cubed bread across the bottom of the prepared dish, creating a uniform base layer that will absorb the upcoming liquid ingredients.
- In a large skillet, render bacon over medium heat until crisp and golden brown, transforming fatty strips into crunchy, flavor-packed morsels. Once cooked, chop the bacon into small pieces and scatter over the bread foundation.
- Utilize the same skillet with residual bacon drippings to sauté diced onions until translucent and soft. Introduce minced garlic and fresh spinach, cooking until the greens wilt and release their moisture, creating a fragrant vegetable medley.
- Distribute the onion, garlic, and spinach mixture atop the bacon-covered bread, ensuring even coverage and maximum flavor distribution.
- Liberally sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese across the vegetable layer, creating a rich and tangy blanket.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, whole milk, kosher salt, ground mustard, and freshly cracked black pepper until thoroughly combined and slightly frothy.
- Gently pour the egg mixture over the cheese-topped casserole, allowing liquid to permeate through all layers and create a custard-like consistency.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight, enabling ingredients to meld and flavors to intensify.
- Remove casserole from refrigerator 20 minutes before baking, allowing it to approach room temperature and ensuring even cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C), positioning a rack in the center for optimal heat circulation.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes, then loosely tent with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and continue baking for an additional 30-35 minutes until puffy and golden.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, enabling it to set and stabilize. Garnish with additional freshly ground black pepper, flaky sea salt, and optional extra parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- Rescue Stale Bread Magic: Slightly old bread becomes a flavor sponge, soaking up every delicious egg mixture nuance and transforming into a creamy, rich strata base.
- Crisp Bacon Technique: Cook bacon until it crackles and turns golden brown, ensuring maximum crunch and preventing any soggy disappointment in your final dish.
- Strategic Bread Pressing: Gently but firmly press down bread layers after adding egg mixture, allowing each piece to become completely saturated with cheesy, savory goodness.
- Baking Perfection Signals: Watch for golden-brown top and firm, puffy texture – when the center stops wiggling, your strata has reached ultimate deliciousness.
- Temperature Timing: Let strata rest briefly after baking, allowing ingredients to settle and flavors to meld into a harmonious breakfast masterpiece.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 366 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 663 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 225 mg