My friend C. gave me a couple of loaves of La Brea Bakery's Roasted Garlic Bread, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with so much of it. And then it came to me: a strata. I totally improvised this recipe, so the measurements aren't exact, and I wish I'd thought to add one cup of shredded cheese. I also think it could have used a little more flavor - if I'd had any fresh herbs, I would have added them but I made this at the end of the week when my fridge was rather bare.
Bacon & Spinach Strata
Serves 4 to 6
10 ounces La Brea Bakery Roasted Garlic Bread or other peasant-style bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 slices bacon, diced
12 ounces spinach, chopped
4 eggs
2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste
nonstick cooking spray
1. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Add the bread to a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and cook the bacon until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and add to the bread, reserving 2 teaspoons of fat in the pan. (Discard remaining fat.) Return the pan to heat and add the spinach. Sauté the spinach until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach to the bread and bacon, and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper (and anything else you might be using, like herbs and/or cheese). Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture and stir. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for four hours to overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the egg mixture is firm.
(Note: I'm okay with this as a summer time dish because the 8x8 baking pan fits into my toaster oven - that means it doesn't heat up my whole kitchen!)
1 comment:
Great idea, the strata. I've recently fallen in love with them. Best use of leftovers I can think of.
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