Strata Casserole, a Great Hangover Breakfast

Think you can't host a brunch because you want to be drinking late into the night? Can't think of something to make which will be good on the gurgling gut and not be too much to futz with when you're having trouble thinking straight? Strata is just the thing. This casserole, made of egg, bread, roasted tomatoes and ham is delicious and delicate on your alcoholic system. The bread in this breakfast dish is great for soaking up any nasty lingering liquor in your tummy (thats the science!) and can easily be made up to two days in advance, so you can just pop it in the oven and spend the rest of your time hunched over wishing you hadn't had those last couple drinks. My mom makes this every year for our post - Oktoberfest brunch, and every year it makes me feel better. We rate this breakfast dish easy to make, easy to eat!

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Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

Gather together these ingredients

1 tsp. plus 1 T. unsalted butter
12 large eggs
11/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup diced baked ham
1 T. minced flat leaf parsley
11/2 tsp. thinly sliced fresh chives
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 oz)
1 pound sourdough bread (boule preferred) crust removed and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup of oven dried tomatoes:
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut in half lengthwise
11/2 tsp. kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Fresh herb sprigs (thyme, rosemary or sage) optional

Step 2: Oven-dry Tomatoes

Oven dry tomatoes. This can be done a couple days ahead.

Take:
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut in half lengthwise
11/2 tsp. kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Fresh herb sprigs (thyme, rosemary or sage) optional

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Dry in oven until slightly shriveled but still plump. About 5-6 hours. If not using immediately, store the tomatoes in a sealed container with the herbs, cover with olive oil, and store, covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

If you just don't have time to get this together, you can use sun dried tomatoes. However, although this takes time in the oven, it doesn't take very much actual work time and its WAY cheaper then spending $6.00 a pound for the sun dried tomatoes.

Step 3: Slice Bread

Remove crust from bread and chop inside of bread loaf into 1 inch cubes.

Step 4: Mix Batter

12 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Step 5: Create Tomato and Ham Mixture

Dice baked ham into 1/4 inch cubes. Chop oven dried tomatoes. Mix together ham and tomatoes with parsley and chives.

1 cup diced baked ham
1 cup oven dried tomatoes
1 T. minced flat leaf parsley
11/2 tsp. thinly sliced fresh chives

Step 6: Mix It Up!

Grease a 3 qt. Gratin dish, casserole, or 9" x 5" cake pan with 1 tsp. butter.

Scatter 1/2 of the cheese over the bottom of the buttered dish, cover with 1/3 of the bread, and then 1/2 of the tomato mixture. Repeat. Top with a final layer of bread and remaining cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the strata and gently press it down with the back of a large spoon to make sure the top layer is moistened with the custard. Melt the remaining 1 T. of butter and drizzles it over the strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Step 7: Bake It. Eat It!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the strata, uncovered until golden brown and slightly puffed, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.