Father's Day Brunch: Three Cheese Mushroom Strata and Insalata Rucola

For Father's Day this year I made brunch for my in-laws.  My father-in-law spent several years living in Rome when he was younger with his father and step mother, so I am always trying to impress him by making my version of Italian recipes.

The first time I ever had strata was at a bridal shower that my mother-in-law threw for me.  She bought a delicious strata from a local Italian market to serve for brunch.  (If you're not familiar with strata, it's basically a brunch casserole in which bread is layered with cheese, eggs, and other ingredients to form several layers or "strata").  I loved the combination of cheese, egg, and bread all baked together and vowed to try my hand at making it one day. 

Here's my first attempt:

Three Cheese and Mushroom Strata

1 medium sized baguette, cut into cubes (as you would cut bread for dipping into fondue)
2 1/2 cups of milk
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of half and half
5 eggs
1 4 oz. package of chives, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper (to taste)
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
1 cup grated fontina

Cut a medium sized baguette into large cubes, as you would for fondue:

(I used a sourdough baguette from local San Diego bakery Bread & Cie):

Pour milk over bread and let sit, turning once to coat thoroughly, until bread cubes have absorbed milk (about 10 to 15 minutes):

While bread cubes are absorbing milk, wash baby bellas:

And shiitakes:

Remove stems and slice:

Melt butter over medium heat:

Add mushrooms and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste:

Saute until mushrooms have absorbed butter and are tender (about 8 to 10 minutes) and remove from heat:

Heat oven to 350 F and spray a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish with non stick spray.  Place half of bread cubes in a single layer on the bottom of the casserole dish (they will not completely cover the dish):

Top bread crumbs with half of the sauteed mushrooms and garlic:

Top with half of the grated parmesan, fontina, and crumbled goat cheese:

Whisk half and half, eggs, chives, thyme, and salt and pepper together in a medium sized bowl:

And pour half of this mixture over bread crumbs:

Repeat layering with remaining ingredients (casserole dish will be full and bread cubes will be poking through the top, like so):

Bake for 1 hour, until cheeses have melted and bread cubes have started to brown:

For brunch, I served the strata with an Insalata Rucola (Italian for arugula salad) that I have based on the version at my favorite Neapolitan style pizzeria, Settebello.

Insalata Rucola

8 oz container of baby arugula
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
shaved parmesan (as a garnish)

Whisk olive oil and lemon juice together in a small bowl to mix:

 
Pour mixture over rinsed arugula and toss to coat.  Top with grated parmesan cheese:

Hope you and yours had a wonderful Father's Day!