Breakfast Strata With Potatoes, Rosemary, And Fontina

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through baking. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
2. Bring 1 quart water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with paring knife, about 4 minutes. Drain potatoes.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste and 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.
4. Grease 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and arrange half of bread slices, buttered side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of potato mixture, then 1⁄2 cup fontina evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining potato mixture and another 1⁄2 cup fontina evenly over bread. Whisk eggs and parsley together in medium bowl; add reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and whisk until combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers and cover strata tightly with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against surface of strata. Weigh strata down and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
5. Remove strata from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1⁄2 cup fontina 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. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SAUSAGE, MUSHROOMS, AND MONTEREY JACK
To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 1-1⁄2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8–10 (1⁄2-inch-thick) slices French or Italian bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces breakfast sausage, crumbled
3 shallots, minced
8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
Salt and pepper
1⁄2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1-1⁄2 cups)
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1-3⁄4 cups half-and-half
Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina through step 1. Cook sausage in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking sausage apart with wooden spoon, until sausage has lost raw color and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms no longer release liquid, about 6 minutes; transfer mixture to medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce wine as directed in step 3. Proceed as directed in step 4, substituting sausage mixture for potatoes and Monterey Jack for fontina.

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SPINACH AND GRUYÈRE
To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 1-1⁄2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes.
8–10 (1⁄2-inch-thick) slices French or Italian bread
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 shallots, minced
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1⁄2 cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1-1⁄2 cups)
6 large eggs
1-3⁄4 cups half-and-half
Follow recipe for Breakfast Strata with Potatoes, Rosemary, and Fontina through step 1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is warm, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Reduce wine as directed in step 3. Proceed as directed in step 4, omitting parsley and substituting spinach mixture for potatoes and Gruyère for fontina.

ASSEMBLING BREAKFAST STRATA
1. Layer bread and filling in 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Pour custard mixture evenly over assembled layers.
3. Cover surface flush with plastic wrap and weigh down strata.