Panzanella Strata
Feed a crowd on a budget with this hearty brunch casserole!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 large red sweet pepper, chopped
- 2 cubanelle peppers, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 chili pepper, such as Fresno, jalapeño or Italian cherry, thinly sliced or finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 8 eggs
- 1 pint cream or half-and-half
- 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- A small handful of basil leaves, torn or sliced
- Butter, for baking dish and to dot top
- 6 cups stale bread, white or peasant-style, chopped or torn, such as Amy’s white or a round peasant
Preparation
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO, four turns of the pan. Add the peppers, onion, chili pepper and garlic and stir to tender-crisp, 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat and cool.
Whisk together the eggs, cream or half-and-half, salt, pepper, half the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, parsley and basil.
Arrange the bread and vegetables in the buttered casserole dish – it will mound up a bit. Pour the eggs over top of the casserole and top with remaining cheese and a few dots of butter. Cover and chill overnight or a couple of days ahead.
Bring the casserole to room temperature. Bake at 375ºF for 60-75 minutes, until cooked through.
This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, visit
www.yum-o.org.
