So what went wrong and what can I do to fix it? This is a much beloved, long time

O

orchid

Well-known member
time favorite of ours from Bon Appetit and I have never had any problems with it. I put it together yesterday late afternoon and put it in the fridge. This a.m. I noticed that not all of the curd had been absorbed by the bread and the bread wasn't really soft. I just went ahead and finished putting it together and into the oven. It was delicious flavor but it was more like flavored bread. So what can I do with what is left? Would it be possible to snuggle it into a smaller dish, make a bit more custard and repeat overnight soak? We love this dish and will certainly finish eating what is left but would it be possible to soften the bread so it's as it should be? Wonder what went happened. Any thoughts?

Cheddar, Vegetable & Sausage Strata

Recipe By : Bon Appetit

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Breakfast

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

9 1" thick slices French bread -- each 3x5"5 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups half and half

2 cups packed sharp cheddar cheese -- grated

1/2 green pepper -- cut in strips

15 cherry tomatoes -- cut in half

6 ounces kielbasa -- cut 1/2 inch thick

2 tablespoons onion -- minced

fresh parsley -- chopped

Butter 13x9x2" glass baking dish. Fit 8 bread slices in prepared dish. Cut remaining bread slice into 1" cubes; fit cubes into any empty spaces. Whisk eggs, mustard, basil and salt in medium bowl to blend; whisk in half and half. Ladle custard over bread. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle mixture in dish with black pepper. Top with half of cheese, then bell pepper, tomatoes, sausage, onion and remaining cheese. Cover loosely with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil. Bake until strata is set and springy to touch, about 20 minutes longer. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

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Could it be that the bread wasn't submerged well enough? Did you use a different brand

of french bread? I know some stay firm and some just about turn to mush. It sounds like you're on the right track with salvaging it - make a bit more custard, pour over, then put a plate or something on it to help weight it down. A short time at room temp should do it.

Don't you hate when a tried & true recipe suddenly lets you down?!

 
I'd think it's either the actual size of your eggs, the kind and freshness of the bread or the

real dimensions of the pan. Well, either that or the monkey gods don't want you to have breakfast.

 
Sorry I haven't gotten back here soon. Sometimes life gets in the way. It's definitely

the Monkey Gods...or the bread. It's the bread! I bought the baguette of French bread yesterday and half went for the breakfast and the other half I chunked up for the mussels we had today for sopping. It didn't take 2 pieces of bread for both of us to say "this bread is weird". So I had some French bread in the freezer that I had packaged in about 5" loafs so mussels went back into the pot while I did a quick defrost in the micro. What a difference! The loaf was marked French bread but it was much denser. Kinda sourdoughish. So, I'm going with...it's the breads fault!

 
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