Young & Hungry

Strata.  The savory sibling of sweet bread pudding.  A breakfast casserole or stuffing of sorts.  I do love a good strata. 

There are so many fabulous things about stratas I barely know where to begin.  How about with the fact that you can make them a day ahead and sleep in the morning of consumption?  Or what about the flexibility of knowing that you can use almost anything you have around as long as you have a few key ingredients that are standard pantry staples(see strata take 2)?  My new favorite thing about the strata is that I can bake it in the standard casserole dish, individual ramekins, OR I can bake it in one large pan and then use ramekins or cookie cutters to divide it into pretty little individual portions and then top with a poached egg.  As with bread pudding that can now be found in every variation from sweet potato to s’more, the sky’s the limit! 

 

I am very very excited because this weekend, possibly as you read this, I am staying at a Bed & Breakfast in St. Petersburg, Florida.  I found the Larelle House online (obviously) and have read nothing but rave reviews.  They have a wine & cheese happy hour on the porch each evening, a fridge full of goodies for a midnight snack, and, of course, the customary breakfast (with mimosas on Sunday).   All of the rooms have a different theme, the Hemingway room for example, and there’s even a hot tub out back since even Florida can’t be warm all the time.  There’s something so much more personal about Bed & Breakfasts.  Perhaps it’s the sole fact that it is in a house and not a massive corporate construct.  Or it could just be that you’re not staying in one of 300 rooms all manufactured to the exact same specifications, containing the exact same Tropical Breeze comforters, and not so functional desk with a Bible in the top drawer.  Either way, I.  Can’t.  Wait.  And think I might start a B&B log to note various ideas, recipes, and special touches so that one day I too might be able to host you at my own House. 

 

Spinach Strata

• 1 (10-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 cups cubed (1 inch) French or Italian bread (1/2 lb)
• 6 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups)
• 2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 9 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 

Strata Take 2

• 1 (10-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 T fresh thyme, chopped
• 8 cups cubed (1 inch) French or Italian bread (1/2 lb)
• 1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère
• ¼ lb ricotta cheese
• 2 cups buttermilk
• ½ cup white wine
• 6 large eggs

 

Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.

Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.

Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).

Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).

Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**For my version I cooked onions for about 5 minutes, added the spinach, garlic, thyme, and wine, and cooked another 5 minutes.