I love a make ahead dish, but the make ahead breakfast just hits on another level for me. There's no better feeling than waking up to a luxurious breakfast ready to pop in the oven. Perfect for a lazy weekend or weekend guests. This breakfast sammie strata hits all the
traditional sandwich notes with savory bacon, juicy tomato, creamy eggs, cheese and spinach. A total crowd pleaser and couldn't be simpler. Would love to know if you try this one!
Ingredients-Serves 6-8:
6 slices bacon, diced
1 loaf ciabatta, 1"diced
8 eggs
2 cups whole milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 heaping handfuls spinach (optional)
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Directions:
In a sauté pan, cook diced bacon on medium heat until it's just crisped up, around 5-6 minutes, being careful not to burn.
While the bacon is cooking, slice the ciabatta into 1" cubes and add to a 9x13 baking dish.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until fully combined. Then add the whole milk, ricotta, and 1/4 cup of parmesan, salt, and pepper and whisk again until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon over to a clean paper towel and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the sauté pan. To the same pan, add the spinach (if using) and 1/2 of the cherry tomatoes. Toss the spinach and tomatoes in the bacon fat on medium heat for about 3 minutes until well coated and softened.
Add the tomato mixture and diced bacon to the baking dish with the bread cubes and toss until well combined.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and lightly press the bread crumbs down to absorb the liquid. Top with reserved tomato halves and parmesan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 350F and bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Add sliced avocado and enjoy!