The easygoing, savory, make-ahead way to feed a crowd: Stratas (2024)
When someone offers to bring a casserole to a party, I’ll admit to conjuring weary images of canned soup and mushy vegetables. Yet because that sort of dish is a perfectly sensible solution when feeding a crowd, instead, I invite casserole’s Italian cousin, the strata.
A close relative to bread pudding but always savory and never sweet, the layered strata is a winning option for potlucks and holiday gatherings, and it is an easy meal for your own brood, too. Brunch is often where you’ll find stratas, and I also like to serve them for brinner — that happy marriage between breakfast and dinner, so well suited to cold, way-too-busy winter nights.
MAKE AHEAD: Strata improves when there is plenty of time for the bread to soak up the custard. Make this up to 12 hours ahead of baking. The strata will emerge from the oven puffed and gorgeous, then deflate. It can be served piping hot or at room temperature.
Breakfast casseroles can be made without bread, but strata almost always includes it. In today's recipe, we'll add ham, peppers, and tomatoes to make it extra fabulous. Strata dishes require a rest to let the eggs soak into the bread, usually an hour or overnight.
A frittata is similar to a quiche without the crust, and is often described as a thick omelette packed with ingredients like vegetables, cheese or ham. A strata is a breakfast casserole made with eggs and bread and is often described as an easy-to-make, savoury bread pudding.
Yes, you can. Raw eggs are fairly stable in the freezer, especially when beaten or mixed with other ingredients. Check to see what else is in the casserole, though.
Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.
High-fiber foods not only provide volume but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer on fewer calories. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains all contain fiber. Popcorn is a good example of a high-volume, low-calorie whole grain. One cup of air-popped popcorn has about 30 calories.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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