Spinach And Cheese Strata

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped (1 large)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 8 cups french bread (1/2 lb) or 8 cups italian bread, in 1 inch cubes (1/2 lb)
• 6 ounces gruyere, coarsely grated (2 cups)
• 2 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated (1 cup)
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 9 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Recipe

• 1 squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
• 2 cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
• 3 add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• 4 stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
• 5 spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture.
• 6 sprinkle with one third of each cheese.
• 7 repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
• 8 whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata.
• 9 chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
• 10 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 11 let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• 12 bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes.
• 13 let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• 14 note: strata can be chilled up to 1 day.
• 15 let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.