Fontina, Asparagus & Leek Strata

It's been awhile, but trust us it's worth it.

We've never made a strata before and if you're like us, you weren't sure what to expect. Think about it like a hearty combination between a quiche and a casserole. This particular recipe comes from Cooking Light, with some tweaks and notes from our kitchen. 

Some advanced warning: this is a bit of a time consuming recipe, but it is worth it as it makes some great leftovers. 

Prep time: 8h30 mins (includes chill time)
Cook time: 45 mins

You'll need: 

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 healthy sized bunch of asparagus, chopped (or a 10-12oz frozen bag)
• 3 small leeks (remember, only use the white parts of the leek and don't use the tough, green parts)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 slices of regular old white bread
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup breadcrumbs

What to do:

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add asparagus, leeks, and water. 

Bring to a boil, simmer on reduced heat for about 10-15 minutes, to make sure the vegetables are tender (but not too tender, or the strata will be too mushy). When you're done, strain the vegetables. 

Mix in parsley, tarragon, lemon rind, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Coat a 13x 9 baking dish with a little butter. Place 6 of the bread slices in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. 

Layer on top of the bread 1/2 the asparagus mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Repeat with the last 6 pieces of bread and the other half of the mixture and cheese. 

In a separate bowl, combine the pepper, salt milk, eggs, and egg white, and stir with a whisk until well-blended. Pour the milk mixture over strata. Cover strata, and chill for 8 hours or overnight.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and bake for 40 minutes, until the cheese starts to bubble and the strata is set.