Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyère

Makes one 8 by 8-inch strata, serving 6
To weigh down the assembled strata, use two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface. To double this recipe or those that follow, use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 11/2 tablespoons butter and increase baking times as suggested in each recipe.

8–10 (1/2-inch thick) slices supermarket French or Italian bread (6–7 ounces) 
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 medium shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 11/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside. 

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes; add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until combined, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside. 

3. Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half of buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining spinach mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 

4. Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 60 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.

*************

Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina
8–10 (1/2-inch thick) slices supermarket French or Italian bread (6–7 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Salt and ground black pepper 
12 ounces new potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 medium shallots, minced (about 1/3 cup)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
111/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 11/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyère through step 1. Bring 1 quart water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add 1 teaspoon salt and boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 4 minutes; drain potatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook potatoes until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute longer; add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Reduce wine as directed in step 2; continue with recipe from step 3, adding parsley to egg mixture along with salt and pepper and substituting potato mixture for spinach. (For doubled recipe, increase baking time to about 1 hour 10 minutes.)

*************

Breakfast Strata with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Monterey Jack
8–10 (1/2-inch thick) slices supermarket French or Italian bread (6–7 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces bulk breakfast sausage, crumbled
3 medium shallots, minced (about 1/3 cup)
8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 11/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyère through step 1. Fry sausage in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking sausage apart with wooden spoon, until it loses raw color and begins to brown, about 4 minutes; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute longer. Add mushrooms to skillet, and cook until mushrooms no longer release liquid, about 6 minutes; transfer to medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce wine as directed in step 2; continue with recipe from step 3, adding parsley to egg mixture along with salt and pepper and substituting sausage mixture for spinach. (For doubled recipe, increase baking time to about 1 hour 20 minutes.)