Don’t you just love to have a nice firm piece of bread with which to “sop” up the delicious gravy or juices leftover on your plate? That humble “sop” is the origin of the word “sauce” which we hold in much higher esteem. Actually, sauces have been the aristocrats in the kitchen for centuries and many a great chef has made his/her reputation on them.
Going back to the humbler uses of sauces, they are really a budget stretcher. So many common dishes made of inexpensive ingredients can be dressed up with the right sauce. Sauces can be used to stretch small amounts of food to make many more servings—and usually even better than the original. Sauces can also be a boost of color or flavor that improves even a great dish. Think “saucy” or “sassy”!
Not too long ago at a Bed and Breakfast conference, the keynote speaker (a well-respected and long-time innkeeper) made the statement that we should not be making stratas or egg-bakes as he referred to them. He went on to say that they had become too mundane and we needed to be more creative and up-to-date.
A strata is a make-ahead dish comprised of bread, eggs, milk and usually meat and/or cheese. It is a perfect breakfast dish for a Bed-and-Breakfast owner because it can be made the night before and refrigerated; then popped into the oven for about an hour in the morning and served to guests. Combinations that are breakfast friendly are usually sausage or bacon or ham, eggs, milk and cheese. One that I have made many times is a layer of Italian bread cubes, covered with a country-style sausage which has been browned and crumbled, covered with grated cheddar cheese. A combination of eggs and milk is poured over and when it has marinated overnight, a sour cream-mushroom soup mixture is spread on top and all is baked for 1-1 ½ hours at 350.
Well, I was pretty upset, to say the least, that this hearty, tasty dish was too mundane to serve my guests, so I decided to come up with a “saucy” version that would be more creative. This is my creation which has been very well received by all.
Italian Strata with Two Sauces
12 slices thick-sliced Italian or French bread, cubed into 1” cubes
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
12 eggs
2 ½ cups milk or half and half
1 tsp. crumbled dried basil or 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
Spray 10 x 15 pan with vegetable spray. Put bread cubes in pan, spreading them to cover. Remove casings from sausage and break up in skillet. Fry until pink is gone; drain. Spread sausage over bread and cover with 2 cups of shredded cheese. In large bowl, blend milk and eggs with whisk. Add seasonings. Pour mixture over everything in the pan. Cover with remaining cheese. Cut parchment paper to fit top and spray with vegetable spray. Lay parchment over cheese; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Remove foil and parchment. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 12 servings and serve with a large spoonful of tomato sauce and a large spoonful of cheese sauce. A slice of fresh tomato and a sprig of fresh basil makes a nice garnish.
Cheese Sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add flour and seasonings and whisk until well blended and bubbly but not brown. Add milk and wine slowly, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil; lower heat and add cheese, whisking until completely melted and thick. Do not boil or sauce will curdle. Makes 3 cups.
Tomato Sauce
2 or 3 fresh ripe tomatoes (can use canned if good tomatoes are not available)
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
¼ cup (packed) fresh basil leaves or 1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar or to taste
½ tsp. salt
Dash Tabasco sauce
Peel tomatoes by dipping into boiling water for 1 minute and then removing skins. Chop tomatoes and put in heavy saucepan. Add rest of ingredients; bring to boil. Turn heat to simmer and simmer until tomatoes are falling apart and sauce is thick. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Going back to the humbler uses of sauces, they are really a budget stretcher. So many common dishes made of inexpensive ingredients can be dressed up with the right sauce. Sauces can be used to stretch small amounts of food to make many more servings—and usually even better than the original. Sauces can also be a boost of color or flavor that improves even a great dish. Think “saucy” or “sassy”!
Not too long ago at a Bed and Breakfast conference, the keynote speaker (a well-respected and long-time innkeeper) made the statement that we should not be making stratas or egg-bakes as he referred to them. He went on to say that they had become too mundane and we needed to be more creative and up-to-date.
A strata is a make-ahead dish comprised of bread, eggs, milk and usually meat and/or cheese. It is a perfect breakfast dish for a Bed-and-Breakfast owner because it can be made the night before and refrigerated; then popped into the oven for about an hour in the morning and served to guests. Combinations that are breakfast friendly are usually sausage or bacon or ham, eggs, milk and cheese. One that I have made many times is a layer of Italian bread cubes, covered with a country-style sausage which has been browned and crumbled, covered with grated cheddar cheese. A combination of eggs and milk is poured over and when it has marinated overnight, a sour cream-mushroom soup mixture is spread on top and all is baked for 1-1 ½ hours at 350.
Well, I was pretty upset, to say the least, that this hearty, tasty dish was too mundane to serve my guests, so I decided to come up with a “saucy” version that would be more creative. This is my creation which has been very well received by all.
Italian Strata with Two Sauces
12 slices thick-sliced Italian or French bread, cubed into 1” cubes
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
12 eggs
2 ½ cups milk or half and half
1 tsp. crumbled dried basil or 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
Spray 10 x 15 pan with vegetable spray. Put bread cubes in pan, spreading them to cover. Remove casings from sausage and break up in skillet. Fry until pink is gone; drain. Spread sausage over bread and cover with 2 cups of shredded cheese. In large bowl, blend milk and eggs with whisk. Add seasonings. Pour mixture over everything in the pan. Cover with remaining cheese. Cut parchment paper to fit top and spray with vegetable spray. Lay parchment over cheese; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Remove foil and parchment. Bake 30 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 12 servings and serve with a large spoonful of tomato sauce and a large spoonful of cheese sauce. A slice of fresh tomato and a sprig of fresh basil makes a nice garnish.
Cheese Sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add flour and seasonings and whisk until well blended and bubbly but not brown. Add milk and wine slowly, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil; lower heat and add cheese, whisking until completely melted and thick. Do not boil or sauce will curdle. Makes 3 cups.
Tomato Sauce
2 or 3 fresh ripe tomatoes (can use canned if good tomatoes are not available)
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
¼ cup (packed) fresh basil leaves or 1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar or to taste
½ tsp. salt
Dash Tabasco sauce
Peel tomatoes by dipping into boiling water for 1 minute and then removing skins. Chop tomatoes and put in heavy saucepan. Add rest of ingredients; bring to boil. Turn heat to simmer and simmer until tomatoes are falling apart and sauce is thick. Taste and adjust seasonings.
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