Sausage and Parmesan Strata

Breakfast | American

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 35 min Servings: 4

Strata is essentially a savoury bread pudding, and this version with Italian sausage and parmesan is one of my favourite brunch dishes. You layer day-old sourdough with a rich egg and milk custard, load it with browned sausage and onion, then let it all soak overnight. The next morning you slide it in the oven and pull out something that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort involved.

It’s a brilliant dish to pull out when you’ve got friends coming over for a late breakfast. Prep it the night before, then all you need to do in the morning is bake it off. It’s also a great way to give day-old sourdough a second life instead of throwing it out.

Ingredient Notes

Sourdough: Day-old sourdough works best here because it’s firm enough to soak up the egg mixture without falling apart. Fresh bread will be too soft. If you don’t have sourdough, any sturdy, slightly stale white bread will do the job.

Italian pork sausages: These bring a lot of flavour thanks to the fennel and herbs in the mix. Cook them out of their casings so they break into rough pieces. Any good quality pork sausage works if you can’t find Italian ones.

Parmesan: Parmesan adds a salty, nutty crust on top as the strata bakes. Buy a block and grate it fresh if you can. Pre-grated parmesan doesn’t melt as nicely.

Eggs: Six eggs give you a custard that sets firm but stays rich and not rubbery. Whisk them well with the milk so everything is fully combined before it goes over the bread.

Equipment you'll need

Large frying pan
Roughly a 2.2 litre baking dish
Large mixing bowl
Whisk

Ingredients

6 Italian pork sausages
1 red onion
1 tbsp olive oil
⅔ loaf of day old sourdough
6 eggs
400ml milk
30g grated parmesan cheese
sea salt

Directions

Cook the sausages
Pull the sausages from the casings and break up into thumb sized pieces. Thinly slice the red onion.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring to brown on all sides.
Add the onion and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring. Turn off the heat and allow the sausage mixture to cool.
Prep the egg mixture
Break up the sourdough into rough, bite size pieces. Place in the base of a 2.2L (2.3 qt) capacity baking dish.
Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl, until well combined. Season with salt.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread, then top with the cooled sausage mixture.
Gently fold the mixture together, then sprinkle over the parmesan.
Set the dish aside for at least 1 hour to soak, or overnight in the fridge.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced (355°F). Bake the strata for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.
Spoon the strata onto serving plates and serve hot.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

If the top is browning too fast

If the top starts to colour too quickly before the custard has set, just loosely cover the dish with foil for the rest of the baking time. You still want a golden crust, just not a burnt one.

Make it your own

This is a really adaptable dish. Swap the Italian sausage for bacon, ham, or roasted vegetables if you prefer. Any good melting cheese works in place of the parmesan, and you can throw in some herbs or spinach to mix things up.

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until piping hot all the way through.

What to serve with it

This is hearty enough to serve on its own, but a simple green salad on the side works really well if you want something fresh to cut through the richness.

FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, this dish is actually better when made the night before. The longer the bread soaks in the egg mixture, the richer and more custardy the result. Just cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge the next morning.

Is it spicy?

No, this recipe isn’t spicy. The flavour comes from the Italian sausage, parmesan and egg custard. If you want a bit of heat, a pinch of chilli flakes stirred through the egg mixture works well.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes, just leave out the sausage and replace it with roasted vegetables like zucchini, capsicum, or mushrooms. You’ll get the same great texture and the vegetables will soak up all that custardy goodness.

Can I make it gluten free?

The dish isn’t gluten free as written because of the sourdough, but you can swap it for a good quality gluten free bread. Just make sure it’s a day old and firm enough to hold up to soaking.

How do I know when it’s done?

The strata is ready when the top is golden and set, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top is browning but the centre still wobbles, cover loosely with foil and give it another 5 minutes.