Overnight egg strata allows you to brunch AND sleep in!
Ingredients
6 c. ½ in. cubes of Bread (I used about ½ of a large boule)
1 Tbsp. Butter, plus additional soft butter for the pan
1 large Onion, thinly sliced
½ of a Fennel Bulb, thinly sliced
1 tsp. minced Rosemary
½ # Sausage (I used pork sausage from a local butcher made with rosemary, apples, and walnuts…yum! A sweet fennel seed sausage would also work well)
5 Eggs
½ c. Heavy Cream
1 c. Whole Milk
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
a few gratings of Nutmeg
¼ # Gruyère, grated (1 heaping c.)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread the cubed bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, stirring the bread around halfway through.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fennel with a pinch of salt and sauté until wilted and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and a few twists of black pepper.
In a separate sauté pan, brown the sausage over medium heat, 8-10 minutes, breaking the sausage into small pieces. If there is a lot of fat in the pan, drain the sausage on paper towels before proceeding.
In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread, sautéed onions and fennel, and the browned sausage. Generously butter a muffin tin and pack each cup with the bread mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, mustard, nutmeg, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups. Top with the grated cheese, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350°. Bake the stratas until the egg has set, the cheese has melted, and the tops are golden and crispy around the edges, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes (it makes it easier to get each strata out in 1 piece!) and serve.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/sausage-fennel-gruyere-miniature-egg-stratas/