Email to Cat      

Sausage & Cheddar Bread Pudding

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef: The Cookbook" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"This ultra-rich and savory bread pudding is one of my standbys for entertaining because it can be assembled ahead of time and feeds a crowd. The recipe was given to me by one of my oldest and dearest friends, Kelly Santoro. She got it from her friend Corey, who got it from his mother, who originally found it in an old spiral-bound church cookbook. Such is the path of a good recipe."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 pound sweet or spicy pork sausage, casings removed
â—¦ 1 cup chopped yellow onions
â—¦ 18 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
â—¦ 2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
â—¦ ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
â—¦ 6 eggs
â—¦ 2 cups half-and-half
â—¦ Scant 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



Recipe

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break it into small clumps, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the pan.

Lower the heat to medium and add the onions and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the bowl with the sausage, along with the bread cubes, cheese, and parsley. Toss well, then spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and sausage mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350° F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Bake for about 1 hour, until puffed and golden brown. Slice into squares and serve immediately.

Serves 6