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SAUSAGE AND ASPARAGUS FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Sarah Arruda
SAVORY DESSERTS POPPING UP ON RESTAURANT MENUS SPARKED THE IDEA FOR THIS NEW TWIST. THINK FRENCH TOAST MEETS STRATA.
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Ingredients
  

  • HANDS ON 25 minutes
  • CHILL 2 hours
  • BAKE 50 minutes at 375°F
  • STAND 10 minutes
  • 12 oz. Texas toast cut into 1-inch strips (about 10 slices)
  • 8 oz. bulk pork sausage
  • 8 oz. mixed fresh mushrooms such as cremini, oyster, and/or button, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. caraway seeds crushed
  • 8 oz. fresh asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ of a 15-oz. carton whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 4 oz.
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley, chives, dill, and/or basil
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 1¾ cups milk

Instructions
 

  • 1. Grease a 2- to 2½-qt. baking dish. Arrange half of the bread strips in bottom of dish, overlapping as needed. For filling, in a 10-inch skillet cook the next five ingredients (through caraway seeds) over medium-high 8 to 10 minutes or until meat and mushrooms are browned. Drain off fat. Stir in asparagus. Spoon evenly over bread in dish. In a medium bowl stir together next five ingredients (through pepper). Spoon over filling. Arrange the remaining bread strips on top.
  • 2. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and an additional ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Pour egg mixture over bread, pressing bread down lightly to moisten. Cover; chill 2 to 24 hours.
  • 3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake, uncovered, 50 to 60 minutes or until center is set (180°F). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with additional herbs. Makes 8 servings (1 cup each).
  • PER SERVING 371 cal., 20 g fat (9 g sat. fat), 149 mg chol., 730 mg sodium, 28 g carb., 1 g fiber, 6 g sugars, 20 g pro.

Notes

THEN: SWEET, SAVORY & FANCY It’s not the first time we nudged French toast in a savory direction.
In 1949 bread slices took a sweet dip into eggs, orange juice, and milk then were browned on the griddle. Savory steamed asparagus was bundled in a toast ring created with a donut cutter.
Now that’s fancy.