Savoury Egg And Cheese Bake
5
- Prep Time30 min
- Total Time30 min
- Makes6 to 8 servings
(Photo: iStock)
This is one of our all-time favorite brunch recipes. Make the night before, pop it in the refrigerator then straight into the oven the next day for a creamy mélange of egg and melted cheese. Here's an elegant way to serve eggs without much effort. You can make it all ahead using whatever suits your taste or what's on hand.
Ingredients
1 large onion
2 bell peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
6 to 7 slices bread
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tbsp dried parsley (optional)
1 cup grated cheddar, gouda, or othe full-flavoured cheese
Instructions
To prepare filling, thinly slice onion. Seed peppers and slice. Heat oil in a frying pan set over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is just starting to get golden edges, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil and oregano. Cool in pan while continuing with recipe.
Butter a 9x13-inch (3-L) rectangular glass baking dish or coat with cooking spray. Cut bread into 1/2-inch (1-cm) cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. You should have about 6 cups. Stir in onion-pepper filling until blended. Spread in baking dish. In a bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Whisk in milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, if using. For color and flavor, whisk in parsley. Pour egg mixture over bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Pudding can be baked right away or covered and refrigerated overnight.
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Bake pudding, uncovered, in centre of oven until slightly puffed and golden around edges. A pudding baked right away after preparing takes 30 to 35 minutes, a chilled one takes from 35 to 40 minutes and a frozen one takes from 40 to 45 minutes. Serve right away.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 254, Protein 14.3g, Carbohydrates 18.9g, Fat 13.4g.
To make ahead:
To make ahead, prepare filling and stir with cubed bread. Spread in buttered baking dish. Cover airtight and freeze for up to 1 week. When ready to bake, prepare egg mixture and grate cheese. Unwrap frozen bread mixture. Pour eggs over top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake right away or leave at room temperature up to 1 hour before baking.
