Ideal for a festive brunch, this pillowy casserole is full of hearty flavor. It might remind you a bit of French toast—if French toast had sweetpotatoes and sausage and sage!—and it’s even good with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Breakfast Strata with Sweetpotatoes, Chile, and Goat Cheese
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 pound orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 3 1/4 cups)
12 ounces loose breakfast sausage or breakfast sausage patties
Nonstick cooking spray
10 ounces crusty Italian or French bread, with crusts, cut or torn into 3/4-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
One 7-ounce can chopped green chiles
4 ounces chèvre (spreadable goat cheese), crumbled (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the sweetpotatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up and stirring occasionally, until the sweetpotatoes are lightly browned and tender and the sausage is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chiles and set the skillet aside.
Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of the bread in the dish. Top with 1/3 of the sweetpotato mixture, 1/3 of the cheese, and 1/3 of the sage. Repeat 2 times. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and set aside for 20 minutes, pressing on the bread occasionally to help it absorb the liquid.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is browned and the center is set, about 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
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