Grand Central Strata
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6 - 7 slices leftover Como bread or Sour White
2 cups prepared vegetables -broccoli, spinach or zucchini
4 - 5 sliced mushrooms
˝ cup diced onions
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
˝ cup grated parmesan
1 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil (1 tsp dried)
5 Eggs
1 quart half & half (substitute part or all milk if preferred)
6 tbsp. butter
To Prepare Vegetables:
Broccoli: Cut into thin slices. Peel woody stems. Blanche in boiling
water for 2 - 3 minutes depending on the size of your pieces. Plunge into
cold water. Drain and reserve.
Spinach or Chard: Use frozen chopped spinach or chop fresh greens and
blanch about 1 minute in boiling water. Drain thoroughly in colander.
Zucchini: Slice or dice and sauté with onions and mushrooms.
To Assemble:
Sauté the onions, mushrooms and zucchini (if selected) and mix with prepared
vegetable of choice. Mix in fresh basil. Set aside.
With a wire whisk beat the eggs, add the milk and/or cream and season
carefully with salt and pepper.
Remove the crusts from the bread. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 ˝" x
11" ovenproof pan and cut enough bread to cover the bottom. (cut pieces to
fit snuggly)
Spread vegetables over bread and top with grated cheeses. Pour egg mixture
over all. Top with remaining bread. Pressing it slightly into egg mixture.
Dot with butter, Cover and refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 2
hours. Bake at 350 degrees until custard is set and dish is browned on top.
(50 - 60 minutes)
For a decorative effect on top layer of bread, cut bread into triangles and
arrange in a pattern.
