Arugula and Ham Strata

Put this tasty egg casserole together in the evening, then pop it in the oven when you wake up the next morning. Arugula and Ham Strata will soon fill the house with a pleasant aroma and provide a warm and nourishing breakfast as your family climbs out of bed to begin a new day.

A Slice of Ham Strata in the Pastry Case

When my oldest son is home from college we often spend time together in the kitchen. He is a great help when it comes to food prep. He is also an imaginative cook and likes to add a touch of his own flair to the process of creating a meal. When he is in the kitchen he is driven and works quickly as if he were competing on Iron Chef. I function more on the side of slow and steady. I like to take my time, clean as I go, and avoid being rushed.

The last time he was home we ran some errands together and ended up at Barnes and Noble. We browsed through the books then went to the cafe to consider our purchases over coffee. As we passed the pastry case we both noticed a delicious looking slice of egg-rich Strata. That’s when we began to discuss what would be involved in making one ourselves for the next day’s breakfast.

Collaboration for a Special Egg Casserole

On the way home we stopped by the market to collect some ingredients. We both had ideas about what would make a Strata taste as good as the one in the coffee shop looked. My son suggested ingredients I would not have leaned toward on my own. He selected a crusty loaf of artisanal Italian bread, some Gruyere cheese and arugula. I was thinking about the ham I had in the refrigerator and the fresh thyme growing in my herb garden. We settled on a collaboration of flavors and ingredients.

In my kitchen files I found a recipe for Sausage Egg Casserole. It had once been given to me by a friend at church. My friend relied on this recipe when she organized a huge community breakfast as a fundraiser. She had a group of volunteers each cook from this same recipe to supply the main dish. The instructions for her Egg Casserole provided a good outline of proportion, baking time and temperature for our Strata.

Remembering those friends in another state added a note of nostalgia to our recipe quest. We knew them from the community we were a part of when my children were young. Together my son and I shared some fond memories as we worked to update the recipe and create our own version of an appealing egg casserole.

The Good Life

Our collaboration in the kitchen was a success that afternoon. The blending of generations, styles and ingredients along with fond memories had a certain synergy all its own. When I put our Arugula and Ham Strata in the oven the following morning it gradually filled the house with a pleasant aroma. Soon it provided a warm and nourishing breakfast as the family climbed out of bed to begin a new day.

My life isn’t perfect but on mornings like these it is really good!

Arugula and Ham Strata

Course: Breakfast, Main DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Resting Timeovernight

This make-ahead egg casserole rests in the refrigerator overnight. Next morning, pop it in the oven for an easy yet elegant family breakfast.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs

• 1 pound ham (1 to 2 cups), chopped

• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided

• 1 to 2 cups baby arugula leaves

• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 6 or 7 thick slices of good Italian or french bread,

• crust removed and cut into cubes (4 to 5 cups)

• dash of cayenne pepper

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  

Directions

• Spray 9″x13″ casserole with cooking spray. Spread ham across the bottom of the pan. Add half the bread, followed by 3/4 cup of Gruyere along with the onions, arugula and thyme. Spread these evenly over the ham. Scatter the rest of the bread cubes across the top.
• Beat the eggs slightly. Add the milk, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, salt and black pepper. Stir until combined. Pour the mixture over the contents of the casserole dish, stirring slightly to gently mix. Make sure bread cubes are in the egg mixture and the arugula leaves are mixed throughout. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over all.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Bake at 325F for 45 – 60 minutes or until browned on top. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Recipe Source: Based on a recipe from my friend Leslie in Texas.
• Note: Strata is really just an eggier version of Bread Pudding made with savory, rather than sweet, ingredients. It is an adaptable and forgiving recipe. It can be made out of whatever is on hand or, with some planning, can be made with a variety of ingredients. Recipes vary widely for this dish, using soft white bread or heartier loaves, more or less eggs, skim milk or even cream for the liquid – so feel free to experiment. Add whatever meat and cheese combinations appeal to you or just add vegetables, leftover or freshly sauted, instead. Then add herbs and seasonings to taste and enjoy!