MINI TOMATO AND PROSCIUTTO STRATAS
Strata, or savory bread pudding, is a convenient way to breakfast on eggs, cheese, and bread on the go. It also makes a good brunch dish, as it can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning. You can also bake and refrigerate the little bundles and reheat in a toaster or oven.
MAKES 12 STRATAS, OR 6 TO 12 SERVINGS
Excerpted with permission from The Portable Feast: Creative Meals for Work and Play.
10 ounces grape or small cherry tomatoes (about 1¾ cups) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing 8 ounces rustic bread or Ciabatta (about ½ loaf) 1 clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press 4 large eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 1½ cups lightly packed grated fontina or Gouda cheese (about 7 ounces) ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into strips
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Step 2
Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small, heavy baking pan. Roast the tomatoes until blistered and tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cut the bottom crusts off the bread and discard them. Cut the bread into ½-inch cubes. (You should have 4 loosely packed cups.) Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Transfer the bread to a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and lightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Step 4
Line 12 standard muffin cups with parchment liners or brush them with olive oil. In the large bowl used to toss the bread cubes, beat the eggs with the milk, cream, rosemary, and salt to blend. Season with pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the fontina and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Add the toasted bread cubes, stir to coat, and let stand 20 minutes.
Step 5
Place a strip of prosciutto in the bottom of each muffin cup. Fill the cups about halfway with the bread mixture. Top the bread with more prosciutto and the roasted tomatoes, dividing the tomatoes evenly. Spoon the remaining bread mixture over the tomatoes and top with the remaining prosciutto. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Step 6
Sprinkle the tops of the stratas with the remaining ½ cup fontina and ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake until the stratas are golden brown and set, about 25 minutes; cool slightly. (Can be prepared ahead: Enjoy warm or at room temperature within 4 hours, or refrigerate up to 2 days. If refrigerated, reheat on a pan in a preheated 375°F oven until warm, about 8 minutes.)
Step 7
Excerpted with permission from The Portable Feast: Creative Meals for Work and Play by Jeanne Kelley.
