Manitoba Strata – Great Tastes of Manitoba

Ingredients

2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 Peak of the Market Onion (1 cup/250 mL), halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minded
2 cups (500 mL) Peak of the Market zucchini, cut into 1/4" thick half-rounds or diced
1 cup (250 mL) sliced mushrooms
4 Countryside Farms Vita Eggs
2 cups (500 mL) milk
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard or honey mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil (or 1 Tbsp minced fresh basil)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
6 cups (1.5 L) rye bread, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces (10 slices of bread)
2 cups (500 mL) diced cooked farmer sausage (350 g)
1 cup (250 mL) shredded Canadian Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (125 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved.

Method

Grease 13 x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish.
In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt butter, then sauté onions, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms until soft, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs until blended; whisk in milk, mustard, basil and pepper. Placed cubed bread into another large bowl. To the bread add zucchini and mushroom mixture, farmer sausage, 1/2 cup (125 mL) cheese and toss gently to combine.
Pour milk and egg mixture over bread mixture and mix to combine.
Spread in prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute tomato halves over the dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 1 day.
To serve, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Uncover baking dish and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until puffed and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Tips

While it’s best to refrigerate overnight to give the bread time to absorb the milk and egg mixture, this recipe still turns out great if cooked immediately. To cook immediately allow the combined ingredients to sit 15 minutes prior to baking.