Holiday sausage strata layers buttered bread with sausage and Gruyere, then soaks it in an egg and half and half custard overnight. It bakes with broccoli florets dotted on top. Parmesan goes over at the end as snow, twelve servings from one 9×13.
Weigh it down overnight with bags of rice or beans on top. The recipe tells you to do it without saying why. Pressure drives the custard into the bread, so you get an even set slice rather than a wet bottom and a dry top.
The card says twenty five minutes of cooking and the method says bake about forty five. Forty five is right, and the sausage browning sits on top of that, so plan for an hour.
Holiday Sausage Strata
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalButtered bread layered twice with crumbled sausage and Gruyere, drowned in twelve eggs and half and half and pressed cold overnight. Baked under broccoli and finished with Parmesan.
Ingredients
1 pound breakfast or Italian sausage, removed from the casing
4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
14 to 16 slices French or Italian bread, 1/2-inch thick, left out overnight or toasted
12 ounces Gruyere, shredded
2 cups half-and-half
12 large eggs
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
Cracked black pepper
3 cups broccoli florets with about 1 1/2 inches of stalk left on
1 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
- Brown the sausage: Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, crumbling it with a spoon, until mostly brown but still a little pink, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towel and reserve the sausage fat separately.
- Layer the dish: Butter both sides of the bread. Arrange half the slices in a single layer in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, top with half the sausage and half the Gruyere, then repeat with the remaining bread, sausage and cheese.
- Custard and weights: Whisk the half-and-half, eggs, 2 teaspoons of the salt and some pepper, then pour it over the layers. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh the strata down with a couple of bags of rice or beans to compress it. Refrigerate overnight.
- Get ready to bake: In the morning, take off the plastic wrap and the weights and heat the oven to 325F. Toss the broccoli with the reserved sausage fat, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
- Bake: Dot the broccoli florets over the top and bake until the strata pulls away from the sides of the dish and the center is puffed, about 45 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, then scatter the Parmesan over just before serving.
FAQs
What bread should I use and how many slices?
A plain French or Italian loaf cut half an inch thick, which is fourteen to sixteen slices or most of a standard loaf. It has to be stale or toasted, because fresh bread collapses under twelve eggs. Leave it out uncovered the night before you start.
Can I use a cheese other than Gruyere?
Gruyere melts smooth and stays savory against the sausage, which is why it is here. Comte and Emmental behave the same way. Cheddar works but turns greasy at this quantity, so use half cheddar and half mozzarella instead.
Why does the broccoli go on raw?
It roasts rather than steams, which is the point, and the sausage fat it is tossed in keeps it from drying out. Florets with an inch and a half of stalk left on stand up like little trees. The Parmesan at the end is meant to look like snow on them.
Can I make it two days ahead?
One night is what the recipe asks for and two is the sensible limit. Past that the bread breaks down and the bottom turns to pudding. Another dish that wants exactly one night in the fridge is this overnight monkey bread.
What else goes on the Christmas breakfast table?
Something sweet, because this plate is savory from end to end. One sweet dish next to it covers everybody at the table. A tray of cranberry french toast balances it without touching the oven.
