Innside New Jersey

EAT INN: Spring strata and frittata

With leeks in season in March, add some chives and cheese to this Savory Strata, which makes tasty leftovers as well. (Pillars of Plainfield, Plainfield)

Savory Strata

3-2/3 cups milk                                    
5 eggs, lightly beaten                            
¼ teaspoon plus ¾ teaspoon kosher salt  
¼ teaspoon Tabasco                             
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg           
2 tablespoons olive oil                           
2 medium leeks (white and light green part only, sliced lengthwise, thoroughly rinsed to remove sand, thinly sliced)     
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

 

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
24 very thin slices sandwich bread (Nathan’s or Pepperidge Farm)
6 tablespoons butter, at room temp
10 to 12 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

 

Coat a 3-quart glass or metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, first amount of salt, Tabasco and nutmeg.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the leeks, toss to coat with the oil and, stirring occasionally, cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the leeks are soft. Season with the second amount of salt to taste. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, parsley, and chives. Stir in the cooled leeks. Add enough of the egg mixture so that the ricotta-leek mixture can be handled smoothly.

Lay 6 slices of bread in the bottom of the baking pan. Top with one-third of the ricotta-leek mixture. Repeat with 2 more layers of the bread slices and ricotta-leek mixture. Top with a last layer of bread. Spread the softened butter over the top slices.

Pour the egg mixture over the layers in the pan, gently pressing the top slices of bread into the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350˚F. For the water bath (bain-marie), set water to boil and have ready a second baking pan that is larger than the baking pan used for the strata.

Remove the plastic wrap from the strata and sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.

Set the strata baking pan in the larger pan on the middle rack of the oven. Pour sufficient boiling water into the larger pan to come about halfway up the sides of the smaller pan.

Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours or until the top is puffy and brown. Cool slightly in the pan before slicing and serving.

Yield: 12 servings.

Note: Reynolds “Release” foil woks well for covering then uncovering leftovers without disturbing the top of the strata.

* * * * * * * * * * *

There are two scrumptious versions of this Broccoli Frittata (one is fat-free), a tasty breakfast dish or a satisfying mid-day snack. (Normandy Inn, Spring Lake)

Broccoli Frittata

6 eggs                                                
1 stick butter, melted                                     
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour                
1 pound small-curd cottage cheese          
1½ pounds cheddar cheese, shredded

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
4 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Coat a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs by hand. Stir in the butter, flour, cottage cheese, and cheddar cheese.

Add the broccoli, green onions, and salt, stirring well to combine.

Pour the mixture into the baking pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Note: For a healthier version: Instead of eggs, use egg substitute. Both cottage cheese and cheddar cheese can be low-fat or non-fat. Butter and flour can be eliminated.