Tomato and cheese strata
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 350 gminced sausage meat (regular or spicy)
- 14-16 Kumato® tomatoes, peeled and diced (reserve two whole tomatoes for garnish)
- 1 can (175 g) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 can (50 g) jalapeño peppers, peeled, diced and drained
- 460 g good bread (16 very thin slices)
- 230 g cheddar cheese, grated
- 230 g provolone or mozzarella cheese, grated
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups (625 ml) milk
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the pepper and leave until it begins to soften, about 2- 4 minutes, then set the mixture aside.
Add a little oil if necessary and put the sausage in the same pan. Brown it over medium heat, breaking up the lumps. Add the vegetable mixture back to the pan.
Add the Kumato® tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, cayenne pepper, jalapeños, and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and stir. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 25-35 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if necessary.
Add butter to a 22x33 cm frying pan. Put half of the bread in the pan, cutting the slices to fit if necessary.
Spoon the tomato sauce over the bread. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese, top with the other half of the bread, and finish by sprinkling with the other half of the cheese.
Combine the eggs, milk, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until frothy.
Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the pan. Shake the pan so that the ingredients are evenly distributed, leaving room for the milk.
Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours.
When the strata is ready, preheat the oven to 180º. Slice the two reserved tomatoes into rounds and arrange them on top of the strata.
Bake in the oven uncovered for 60-70 minutes, or until the strata is puffed and the edges are a golden brown colour. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Stand out with original serving ideas
Sausage can be substituted with ground turkey or chicken and any variety of cheese can be used.
Cut the strata into large triangles and serve with a light hollandaise sauce.
Complement the strata with bacon or sausages and a fruit salad for a perfect lunch or brunch.
The texture of the strata is soft, similar to pudding. If a firmer texture is desired, toast the bread slices before use. Canned jalapeños can be replaced with chopped and sautéed fresh jalapeños, and the sausage can be replaced with 175-225 g of roasted chopped bacon.
If there are leftovers, cut the strata into several portions, wrap them well and freeze.
Allow to defrost for several hours in the refrigerator and then heat in the microwave or bake at a low temperature wrapped in aluminium foil.
