Sausage, Tomato and Cheese Strata

One of my favorite Italian style dishes. Much lighter than lasagna and a snap to make.

Ingredients:

16 oz. can of Italian syle diced tomatoes with juice
1 small can tomato paste
12 oz. Sweet Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 medium sweet onion
3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons Italian seasonings (Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage)
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 loaf Italian bread or 1 loaf regular bread
6 eggs
2 cups milk
3 cups of Mozzarella cheese. (I use a Mozzarella/Provolone mix)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Butter 2 quart casserole or 13 x 9 Glass dish

In a bowl beat eggs and milk, then break up bed into pieces and add to egg/milk mixture. Do not mash down bread as you do not want to make it mushy. Just allow milk and egg to soak in.

Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to pan over medium heat. Mince garlic and add to oil.

Mince onion and add to oil and saute both until soft.

Uh Oh! Kitchen Hint: I don't know how you dice onions but someone once showed me this way and I've done it ever since. I slice off one end of the onion leaving the root end. Peel the skin off the onion and cut almost through the onion in one direction:

Then turn the onion and cut almost all the way through in the opposite direction:

Then just cut thinly down the end of the onion and you're done!

Break up sausage and add to sauteed onions and garlic. Sprinkle seasonings over at this time also. Continue to saute while breaking up sausage into smaller pieces until no pink is showing. Then add tomatoes and tomato paste and brown sugar. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes until slightly reduced. Salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully make one layer of bread/milk/egg mixture across the bottom of baking dish. Add a layer of tomato sausage mixture and then a layer of cheese. Continue to layer in this order until you have three layers ending with the sauce on top. RESERVE the last of the cheese. If there is liquid remaining in the bowl after all bread is removed just pour it over the top of the strata.

Cover with Aluminum Foil or Plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and puffed up. Sprinkle with one third of the Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 more minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!