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Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Thyme

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"A strata sounds pretty impressive, and it's enough like a souffl� that you could pretend you toiled away on it, but in reality this eggy, cheesy preparation is more like a savory bread pudding�which means it couldn't be easier. Typically, strata requires a long refrigeration for the egg mixture to soak into the stale bread, but this recipe delivers all of the custardy comfort in a fraction of the time. The key is using fresh bread, not stale, and toasting it in a skillet. After saut�ing some chopped onion, add the fresh bread pieces and cook them until lightly toasted (so they won't turn to mush by the end of cooking). Add the egg and cheese custard off the heat and finish the strata in the oven for an impressively delicate souffl�d texture. Don't trim the crusts from the bread or else the strata will be too dense and eggy. You will need a 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet."

List of Ingredients

◦ 6 large eggs
◦ 1 � cups whole milk
◦ 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or � teaspoon dried
◦ � teaspoon pepper
◦ 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
◦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 1 onion, chopped fine
◦ � teaspoon table salt
◦ 5 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk eggs, milk, thyme, and pepper together in bowl, then stir in cheddar.

Melt butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in bread until evenly coated and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Off heat, fold in egg mixture until slightly thickened and well combined with bread. Gently press on top of strata to help it soak up egg mixture. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until center of strata is puffed and edges have browned and pulled away from sides of pan, about 12 minutes. Serve.

Serves 4 to 6






❧ Variations:

� Skillet Strata with Bacon, Scallions, and Pepper Jack:
Omit thyme. Substitute pepper jack for cheddar. Substitute 4 slices bacon, chopped fine, for butter. Cook bacon in skillet over medium-high heat until fat begins to render, about 2 minutes, before adding onion. Before serving, sprinkle with 2 thinly sliced scallions.

� Skillet Strata with Sausage and Gruy�re:
Substitute shredded Gruy�re or Swiss cheese for cheddar. Reduce butter to 1 tablespoon and add 8 ounces crumbled bulk breakfast sausage to skillet with onion in step 2.