My middle child is graduating high school, and instead of sniffling over baby photos, I’m fretting over the celebratory brunch menu. The easiest way to feed a rabble of relatives is with a breakfast casserole. An eggy, bread-y strata is filling and inexpensive. But my previous endeavors have been either over- or undercooked, and disappointingly bland.
To fix the texture, I started small. Single-serving ramekins cook more evenly than a larger casserole dish, which solves my dry-edge, but undercooked middle, problem. Ramekins are also infinitely scalable; make as many or as few as you need. If you prefer to use a traditional rectangle baking dish, choose one no larger than 9-by-13 inches, and use a thermometer to determine doneness. Eggs are safe to consume at 160 degrees; I prefer the sturdier, but still moist, texture of a strata cooked to 170 degrees.
Credit: Kellie Hynes
Credit: Kellie Hynes
To make several varieties of mini-casseroles, I started with a scalable ratio for ingredients. For one ramekin, mix 1 egg with 1/4 cup milk, and pour it over 1/2 ounce bread cut into tiny cubes. Add 1 to 2 ounces of your favorite strong, savory ingredients for flavor. I made a delicious pizza strata using baguette, diced pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. A Reuben strata made from rye bread, corned beef, and sauerkraut is as satisfying as a deli sandwich. The winning flavor combination in our house is a barbecue chicken strata made with subtly sweet brioche and a generous dollop of barbecue sauce. In a pinch, make it from rotisserie chicken and any bread you have on hand. Just because it’s breakfast, doesn’t mean your eggs have to be boring.
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