Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Enjoy the taste of summer for breakfast or brunch with these Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes!

The inspiration behind this recipe:

A couple of weeks ago I received the latest King Arthur Flour catalog and was immediately smitten with the photo on the cover.  It was a pane bianco, a figure-eight-shaped cheesy Italian bread that’s studded with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and baked to perfection.

I followed the recipe to the last detail.  Womp.  Womp.

The first time I mixed everything together, I made the mistake of using the amount of flour called for in the recipe.  As soon as it came together, I knew I had a bomb on my hands.  The dough was so tough I could barely knead it.  So, I tossed it and started over.

The second time, I used two-thirds of the flour and added in only what was necessary.  The result was a lovely, silky dough.  I waited eagerly for it to rise and I thought I was well on my way to bread-baking success.

Although the bread rose beautifully, I didn’t get the beautiful ridges and speckles of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.  Oh well.  Even people who cook for a living have recipe fails.  (Cellphone photo below.)

Because it didn’t look like the photo, no one wanted to try it even though it tasted great!  So, I made lemonade out of lemons!  Or, shall I say, I made strata–individual Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

If you have a bread-baking disaster or just have some bread you want to use, a strata is the perfect way to use it.

What is a strata?

• A strata is a dish made up of layers of bread, cheese and meat or vegetables.  A custard made with eggs and milk is poured over it and then it’s refrigerated before baking so the bread soaks up the custard.

Because the bread already had basil, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese, I just added more.

How to make Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes:

Cube the bread and place it into a bowl.  Add the basil, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese and divide equally into the muffin cups.

• Combine the eggs and milk and pour over the bread.  Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

• Then bake!

• Run a knife around the rims of the muffin cups and they’ll pop right out!

• Garnish with fresh basil and you’ve got a lovely taste of summer for breakfast or brunch!

For more great breakfast recipes, try my:

• Four Cheese Strata with Zucchini and Tomatoes
• Spaghetti Squash, Broccoli Bacon and Cheddar Mini Quiches
• Savory Breakfast Strudel with Eggs, Sausage and Swiss Chard
• Spicy Baked Denver Omelet
• Hash Brown Frittatas with Kale, Bacon and Cheddar

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Yield: 12

Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Enjoy the taste of summer for breakfast or brunch with these Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 5 cups cubed Italian or French bread, packed
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese, Mozzarella or Fontina
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk or half-and-half

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-muffin muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine cubed bread, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, cheese and salt and black pepper in a large bowl and toss to evenly distribute ingredients. Press even amounts of the mixture into each muffin cup.
3. Whisk together eggs and milk or half-and-half. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Carefully pour into each muffin cup over the bread mixture.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffed, golden and set. Loosen stratas from sides of pan with a thin knife and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 327mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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