The Best Breakfast Strata
fromfoodnetwork.comwww.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/the-best-breakfast-strata-22638266
Breakfast strata is the ultimate comfort dish— a rich, savory and satisfying mix of your favorite bread layered with a creamy custard, melty cheese and whatever fillings you’re in the mood for. The beauty of the strata lies in its flexibility: you can go as simple or as decadent as you choose. Since this is our Best Breakfast Strata, we definitely wanted to lean towards decadent—with earthy mushrooms, bacon, croissants and two kinds of cheese. It can easily feed a crowd and is perfect for a holiday breakfast, special brunch or whenever you want something comforting and delicious that comes together with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
Instructions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Place the croissants cut-side up on a baking sheet and toast until crisp and golden brown, 18 to 21 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy and golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a medium bowl, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook over medium until they have released most of their liquid and are deeply browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the scallion whites and continue to cook until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon and allow to cool completely, then mix in half of the fontina (about 1 1/2 cups).
Prepare the custard: Whisk the cream, milk, Dijon, paprika, eggs, scallion greens, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
To assemble: Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Arrange 8 croissant halves cut-side down in the baking dish (it is okay if they overlap slightly). Spread half of the mushroom and cheese mixture over the croissants. Layer the remaining croissants cut-side up and cover with the remaining mushroom and cheese mixture. Carefully pour the custard over the croissants, spreading the scallion greens evenly as needed; press the croissants down into the custard to help them absorb more, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours (see Cook’s Note).
To bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Top the strata with the Parmesan and remaining fontina and transfer the baking dish to a baking sheet. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the baking dish with it, tenting it loosely to minimize sticking. Bake until the custard is set, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the custard is puffed and the cheese is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes more (the internal temperature should reach at least 160 degrees F). Let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To reheat: Place in a preheated oven at 325 degrees F until warm in the center when pierced with a cake tester, 35 to 45 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 769
- Fat Content
- 58g
- Saturated Fat Content
- 32g
- Carbohydrate Content
- 35g
- Fiber Content
- 3g
- Sugar Content
- 12g
- Protein Content
- 28g
- Cholesterol Content
- 346mg
- Sodium Content
- 793mg
