Ingredients
Scale
- 14 ounces (about 9 cups) sourdough bread, cut into 1/2 cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb breakfast sausage, crumbled
- 8 oz gruyere, shredded
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5 cups whole milk, divided
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (approx 3 garlic cloves)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil
- Chives, chopped for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread 14 ounces cubed sourdough bread on a sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until dried and slightly browned, toss once halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (at least 11-inch across) over medium heat and add 1½ lb crumbled breakfast sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, breaking up the larger pieces as you go. Saute until the sausage is browned and cooked all the way through – about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with butter.
- Once cubed bread has cooled, pour half into the prepared casserole dish. Cover with ⅓ of the sausage and spread the remaining cubed bread on top. Sprinkle with 8 oz shredded gruyere cheese followed by the remaining ⅔ of the sausage.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 8 large eggs, 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk in 3 cups whole milk. Carefully pour the mixture over the bread, cheese, and sausage. Set aside.
- Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan you cooked the sausage in and heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Add 16 ounces cremini mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and all of the liquid has evaporated – approximately another 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk until smooth – cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly add 2 cups of whole milk, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Whisk occasionally for 4-5 minutes until sauce begins to slowly bubble. Once sauce is bubbly, stir constantly for a full minute. Sauce should be thick but pourable. Add the cooked mushrooms to the sauce.
- Pour the mushroom sauce over the strata, cover evenly and spread smoothly. Cover with plastic wrap pressing down firmly so it touches the sauce, preventing a film from forming and place in refrigerator.
- Allow to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb the liquid.
- The next day, remove the strata from the fridge and uncover. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the strata sets. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
- While the strata bakes, add 4 thinly sliced shallots to a large saute pan in one, even layer. Cover with vegetable oil and bring to a boil over medium heat. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until bubbles begin to subside and shallots are lightly golden. (Watch closely toward the end as they will burn quickly!) Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Once the strata is done, remove from the oven, sprinkle with the crispy shallots and chives, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Timing: This dish is meant to be prepared the night before serving to allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture. If you’re making it day-of, allow the dish to rest for at least an hour before baking.
Shallots: These can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container once cooled.
Sausage: I prefer breakfast sausage for this dish but any sausage you like would work. An extra 1/2 lb is incorporated in the bread/egg base to add additional flavor.
Bread: You can use any bread you prefer. Although I’d avoid your grocery store white bread as it’s resulted in a gummy texture in a couple versions I tried.
White Sauce: Be sure to not overcook the white sauce. It should be a pourable, gravy-like consistency. If it’s too thick, thin it out with additional milk.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Inactive Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast