Day 13 - Tomato, Spinach, and Feta Stratta

Gary thought it would be a good time to try out a more complex recipe today. So last night, he cut up all the ingredients to prepare for the meal.

He even mixed up the eggs in and the milk, with a little bit of pepper to taste. 

The reason Gary needed to do this in advance is because the recipe needs to be chilled for 4-24 hours in the fridge. Here's what it looked like when he started putting everything together in the baking dish:

Mmmm, starting to look good!

After adding the egg mixture, the sliced tomatoes and feta on top, here is piece de résistance in all its glory:

Next step: put it in the fridge and wait.

The next morning...

Gary was very excited the next morning and wanted to cook it right away. Unfortunately, I had to explain that it was a supper meal, not a breakfast meal. So we made some blueberry pancakes instead so that he could still practice cooking before suppertime came alone.

Finally, at 7pm, everything was cooked and ready to be ingested!

"Wow, can I have a piece too?!"

"Gary, you know this is people food. Go eat some trees."

And there you have it! Gary's friends thought it was a pretty yummy meal, very similar to quiche (which we have not yet attempted to make). I don't particularly enjoy eggs, but I will admit that Gary still did a good job on the recipe, especially the top layer that was very rich in tastes. 

Tomato, Spinach, and Feta Stratta

Prep: 30 minutes / Chill: 4 to 24 hours/ Bake: 70 minutes/ Stand: 10 minutes

Oven at 375° F

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: 247 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 216 mg cholesterol, 419mg sodium, 27g carbs, 7g fibre, 18g protein

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups whole grain bread cubes
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch piece (about 2 & 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped onion (large)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/8 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat or regular feta cheese
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil

Description:

1. Grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the prepared dish. 
2. In a covered medium saucepan, cook asparagus and onion in a small amount of water for 2-3 minutes or until tender; stir in spinach. Immediately drain well. Spoon half of the asparagus mixture over bread in the baking dish. Top with the remaining bread cub es and the remaining asparagus mixture. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over mixture in baking dish. Using the back of a large spoon, press lightly. Top with tomato slices, cheese and basil. Cover with foil and chill for 4 to 24 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, about 40 minutes more or until temperature in center registers 180° F on an instant-read thermometer (there will be some liquid left in the center that will be absorbed during standing). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.