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Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Source of Recipe

Bon Appétit, June 2009


Recipe Introduction

"This easy breakfast casserole recipe is a wonderful move for Christmas morning or Easter brunch, but you don't need to save it for a holiday. It's easy to throw together on a weekend and averages just a couple of dollars per serving, making it great for any group. Consider the recipe below a formula rather than a strict guide, with the building blocks of creamy eggs, sliced bread, shredded cheese, and plenty of add-ins. This egg casserole takes an Italian-American angle with spicy pork sausage, piquant Romano cheese, and melty Fontina cheese (plus blistered bell peppers). But you can easily swap these out for whatever you've got on hand. Think sagey breakfast sausage with caramelized onions, and pepper Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, or leftover diced grilled chicken with Swiss cheese and mushrooms. You can also swap out the country bread for any gluten-free loaf (or frozen hash browns) to accommodate dietary needs. If it's a make-ahead breakfast casserole you're after, this strata can be assembled up to two days in advance. Working last minute? That's fine, too, but don't rush the 20-minute soaking time, necessary for letting the bread absorb the custard. While it's in the oven, make a batch of crispy skillet hash browns and a fresh fruit salad to serve alongside. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can reheat them the next morning or enjoy them at room temperature."

Recipe Link: tinyurl.com/cheesy-breakfast-casserole

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Butter or cooking spray for casserole dish
â—¦ 6 large eggs
â—¦ 2 ½ cups whole milk
â—¦ 2 cups sliced green onions
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup finely grated Romano cheese
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
â—¦ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
â—¦ 1 large red bell pepper, halved, seeded, cut into ½-inch strips
â—¦ 1 1-pound loaf rustic French bread, cut into ½-inch slices
â—¦ 2 cups (loosely packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese, divided



Recipe

Place rack in the middle of oven; preheat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Whisk eggs, milk, green onions, heavy cream, Romano cheese, oregano, and ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt in large bowl; add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add sausage; push sausage to one side. Add bell pepper to other side of skillet. Sauté over high heat, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until sausage is cooked through and peppers are brown in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.

Arrange half of French bread to prepared baking dish. Pour half of egg mixture over. Sprinkle with 1 cup Fontina cheese, then half the cooked sausage mixture. Repeat layering with remaining bread slices, remaining egg mixture, remaining 1 cup Fontina cheese, and remaining sausage mixture. Let stand 20 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread to submerge. Bake breakfast casserole until puffed and edges are golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Makes 8 to 10 servings