Sourdough Strata With Tomatoes And Greens Food

SOURDOUGH STRATA WITH TOMATOES AND GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes with the thyme, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes are slightly dried and browned in spots, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool completely.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, fontina, 3/4 cup parmesan, the cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and greens and toss to coat. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish, then top with the roasted tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the strata with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and bake, uncovered, until golden brown and almost set, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven, but keep the strata inside 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESE STRATA WITH HAM AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Grease a 3-quart gratin dish or casserole with 1 teaspoon of the butter.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, toss together the ham, tomatoes, parsley, and chives.
• To make the strata: Scatter a 1/2 cup of the cheese over the bottom of the buttered dish, cover with one-third of the bread, and then half of the tomato mixture. Repeat. Top with a final layer of bread and remaining cheese.
• Pour the egg mixture over the strata and gently press it down with the back of a large spoon to make sure the top layer is moistened with the custard. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and drizzle it over the strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until golden brown and slightly puffed, about 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Arrange the tomatoes cut side-up in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt. Dry in oven until slightly shriveled but still plump, about 5 to 6 hours.
• If not using immediately, store the tomatoes in a sealed container in the refrigerator, for 3 to 4 days. Alternatively, layer them in a container with the herbs, cover with olive oil, and store, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.
• Yield: about 2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

TOMATO-CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar, followed by the sun-dried tomatoes and scallions. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SOURDOUGH STRATA WITH TOMATOES AND GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes with the thyme, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper in a bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes are slightly dried and browned in spots, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool completely. Whisk the milk, eggs, fontina, 3/4 cup parmesan, the cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and greens and toss to coat. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish, then top with the roasted tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the strata with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and bake, uncovered, until golden brown and almost set, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven, but keep the strata inside 10 minutes before serving.