Having a few baked egg dishes in your repertoire can help you feel prepared to invite a few freinds over for brunch. You can pair this with a fruit salad and some muffins and you’ll have a lovely Sunday brunch, or serve it with baked potatoes and sliced oranges for a warm and comforting dinner.
Light and Fluffy Spinach and Cheese Strata
Prep (15 min.) + Cook (50 min.) + time to chill
8 servings, 1 ½ squares each
It’s taken me a few attempts, but I finally made the strata of my dreams. In case you aren’t familiar with it, a strata is a baked egg and bread dish, essentially a savory bread pudding. This is a great dish to serve at a brunch, especially because you can make it in advance, but it also makes a wonderful dinner. Serve it with baked potatoes and sliced oranges.
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
6 eggs
1 ½ cups nonfat or low fat milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tsp. herbes de Provence, or use dried thyme or other Italian herbs
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
6 slices Ciabatta bread, about 1/2-inch thick
Defrost the spinach (I like to put it in a saucepan without any added liquid and steam it over medium heat, covered, until it is thawed, about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, cut the bread into cubes and spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. .
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk. Whisk in the cheeses, herbs, garlic powder, and salt. Stir in the spinach and bread cubes until the bread is completely moistened.
Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish, smoothing it with the back of a spoon, if necessary. Refrigerate it, covered, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake it, remove the strata from the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake it in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes until it is browned on the edges and cooked through in the center.
Tip: This would also be wonderful made with 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped herbs.