Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 5, 2011
Time
3 hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 20 minutes standing
Yield
Serves 6 (Makes one 8 x 8-inch strata)
Ingredients
8 - 10 slices supermarket French bread (½-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened2 teaspoons Salt 12 ounces new potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes3 medium shallots, minced (about ⅓ cup)2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary ½ cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)6 large eggs 1 ¾ cups half-and-half 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Before You Begin
To weigh down the assembled strata, we found that two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
- Bring 1 quart water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1 teaspoon salt and boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 4 minutes; drain potatoes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook potatoes until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute longer; add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.
- Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of potato mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining potato mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs and parsley in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 70 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.
Time
3 hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 20 minutes standingYield
Serves 6 (Makes one 8 x 8-inch strata)Ingredients
8 - 10 slices supermarket French bread (½-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Salt
12 ounces new potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
3 medium shallots, minced (about ⅓ cup)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
½ cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
6 large eggs
1 ¾ cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 - 10 slices supermarket French bread (½-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Salt
12 ounces new potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
3 medium shallots, minced (about ⅓ cup)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
½ cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
6 large eggs
1 ¾ cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
8 - 10 slices supermarket French bread (½-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Salt
12 ounces new potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
3 medium shallots, minced (about ⅓ cup)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
½ cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
6 large eggs
1 ¾ cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
When developing our breakfast strata recipe, we found that buttering whole, dried bread slices gave the dish good texture and richness. Carefully selecting and then sautéing just a few complementary ingredients for the filling removed excess moisture and prevented the casserole from becoming waterlogged. Our breakfast strata recipe calls for weighing the strata down overnight in the refrigerator before baking, which improves the strata’s texture and makes it the perfect make-ahead breakfast dish.
Before You Begin
To weigh down the assembled strata, we found that two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
- Bring 1 quart water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1 teaspoon salt and boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 4 minutes; drain potatoes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook potatoes until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute longer; add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.
- Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of potato mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining potato mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs and parsley in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 70 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.
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