There are plenty of ham breakfast recipes but this one will impress your family and guests with its superb flavor! Bread cubes soaked in an eggy custard mixed with the nutty flavors of Gruyere, Pecorino Romano, and smoked ham take this breakfast strata to another level.
Why You’ll Love This
An easy overnight breakfast casserole that is sure to please a crowd!The texture of this ham and cheese strata is a wonderfully soft and chewy interior with crispy, crusty edges.It’s a great make-ahead breakfast, lunch, or dinner that’s a time-saver during those busy holiday months.It’s also ideal for using holiday leftovers such as ham and dinner rolls.
We had lots of bread sitting around while testing an Italian bread recipe. (That’s to come later I promise.) So we decided to give strata a try.
What is Strata?
Strata is basically a layered dish made with lots of bread (leftover day-old bread is best), egg custard, cheese, and other variations. You could almost call them bread puddings. But strata is a little more structured.
Ingredients
Bread – Any leftover day-old loaf bread will work. We used Italian bread. You can tear them into 1-inch pieces or cut them into 1-inch cubes. We prefer the torn method.Onion – Adds extra flavor and makes this dish even work for dinner.Unsalted Butter – The butter is just for sauteing the onions.Smoked Ham – Really, any ham will work that can be cut into cubes. We don’t recommend deli ham for this dish. Using leftover ham from the holidays is a perfect way. Or serve those overnight guests an amazing breakfast on Christmas morning, Thanksgiving morning, or Easter.Gruyere cheese – Adds an amazing nutty flavor! It beats cheddar cheese hands down for this strata.Pecorino Romano – Or Parmesan, but we highly recommend the Romano.Fresh Chives (optional)– The chives add a little more onion flavor and color to the dish. You could use green onions or scallions.Dried Thyme – If using fresh thyme I recommend doubling the amount.Dried Ground Mustard – Dry mustard adds a unique tangy flavor to this dish.Whole Milk – Whole milk adds a richer flavor to this dish.Heavy Cream – Adds even more rich flavor!Kosher salt and Ground Black Pepper– Ya know, for taste.
Tips
The gruyere cheese really makes this strata sing! But if you don’t care for gruyere try swiss cheese.Be sure to use cooking spray on the aluminum foil before baking if you are sprinkling cheese over the top. Otherwise, it will stick.Allow the casserole to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.You will know it’s cooked through if you give the pan a giggle and see that the center is set. Or insert a knife into the center and it comes out clean.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Strata Recipe
For this ham and cheese breakfast strata recipe, we don’t layer the bread with cheeses and ham. We just fold it all together in a bowl, like bread pudding. In a small skillet over medium heat saute the diced onions in the two tablespoons of melted butter for about 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Butter a 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the torn bread pieces or cut bread cubes, diced ham, and sauteed onions. Toss lightly just to help cool down the onions. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded Gruyere and grated Romano. Toss to combine. You can add all the cheese to the mixture at this time, instead of reserving 1/2 cup to sprinkle over the top during baking. We’ve done it both ways and just prefer the little bit of melted Gruyere on top. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, chives, thyme, dry mustard, kosher salt, and pepper until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture and gently fold all the ingredients together. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, smooth the top, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. When you are ready to bake the strata remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before placing it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the strata is lightly browned, puffed up, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Why Does Strata Have to Sit Overnight?
Strata are best when assembled and allowed to sit overnight in the fridge. The bread needs time to soak up the egg mixture. This is what makes strata a great make-ahead dish. It’s a perfect dish to serve guests during the holiday season for a delicious breakfast or for weekend brunch. It’s even good for dinner. Just make it in the morning and it’s ready to bake by dinner time!
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