Are you having company for the holidays? This is a wonderful breakfast dish that everyone loves! It is a real show stopper! It is my go-to dish for showers that I host on Saturday mornings. (I also love having the left overs in my fridge!)
One of the best parts about this dish is that you make it the day before and then when you wake up you just have to bake it and enjoy eating it. When I am making this, I get all the ingredients ready before I begin assembling the strata. I cut up the cheese, tomato, bread and chop up the cilantro.
After getting all the ingredients ready, mix the milk and white wine in a shallow dish (I usually use a pie pan). Then grease the 9×13 dish. Dip the bread in the milk mixture. Gently squeeze liquid from bread and place wet slices in the prepared dish.
Cover bread with chopped cilantro and drizzle with olive oil. Layer half the cheese and tomato slices over the bread. Daub half the pesto on top and repeat layers of cheese, tomato and pesto. I love all the color this dish has.
Beat eggs and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered cheese and tomatoes. Finish the strata by drizzling the half cup of whipping cream over the entire pan.
Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and chill over night. Take strata out of fridge about 3 hours before baking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until puffy and browned, 50-60 minutes.
Elegant Brunch Strata
1 cup milk
¼ cup white wine (I use white cooking wine)
¾ loaf day-old French bread, sliced thick or French toast bread
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 T. olive oil
½ lb. Gouda cheese, thinly sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
½ cup purchased pesto sauce
4 eggs
Salt and fresh ground pepper
½ cup whipping cream
Grease baking dish (9×13) or 10 inch round. Combine milk and wine in bowl and dip bread slices in mixture. Gently squeeze liquid from bread and place wet slices in prepared dish. Cover bread with chopped cilantro and drizzle with olive oil. Layer half the cheese and tomato slices over the bread. Daub half the pesto on top and repeat layers of cheese, tomato and pesto. Beat eggs and season with salt and pepper. Pour evenly over layered mixture. Pour whipping cream over top and cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
Take strata out of fridge about 3 hours before baking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until puffy and browned, 50-60 minutes.
