By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
- Rating
- 4(74)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Don’t throw out that stale baguette! Here an old bread gets new life after being soaked in milk and mixed with some cooked chard and red pepper. Topped with cheese it makes for an easy, thrifty, midweek meal.
Featured in: Sweet and Savory Bread Puddings
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 4ounces stale baguette
- 2garlic cloves
- 1¾cups low-fat milk (1 percent or 2 percent)
- ½ to ¾pound Swiss chard
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1small onion, chopped
- 1red bell pepper, diced
- ½teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 4eggs
- 2ounces Gruyère, grated (½ cup)
- 1ounce Parmesan, grated (¼ cup)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
232 calories; 11 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 440 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Slice the bread about ¾ inch thick. Cut 1 of the garlic cloves in half and rub each slice of bread with the cut side of the garlic. Mince all of the remaining garlic and set aside. Place the bread in a bowl and toss with 1 cup of the milk. Refrigerate for 1 hour, tossing every once in a while.
Step
2
Meanwhile, stem and wash the chard. Steam over 1 inch of boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes, or blanch in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine.
Step
3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or a 10-inch ceramic tart pan. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic, rosemary and chopped chard and stir together until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the heat.
Step
4
Remove the bowl with the soaked bread from the refrigerator. Using a wooden spoon, a whisk or an immersion blender, mash or beat the soaked bread so that the mixture turns to mush. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl and mix together. Scrape into the oiled baking dish. Top with the grated cheese. Break the eggs into the bowl and beat with the remaining milk, salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon), and freshly ground pepper. Pour over the bread mixture and place in the oven.
Step
5
Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the mixture is puffed, golden brown on the top and set. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes or longer before serving.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 hours before you assemble and bake the strata. The baked strata will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a medium oven.
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Cooking Notes
Joyce
Made this my own way by sautéing all the vegetables together, including the chard. I kept the bread, which I cut in cubes, out of liquid until just before baking when I made a custard of 3 beaten eggs and about 1 1/3 cup of whole milk seasoned with salt and pepper. Mixed about 2/3 of the cheese in with the veg and bread, before pouring on the custard, adding the rest after. Baked for 45 minutes at 350. Yum!
KW
This was texturally disappointing, though it tasted good enough. Next time I make something like this, I will increase the bread by half (6 ounces), delete one egg, and increase the milk to at least a full 2 cups. And, not mush the bread so much so that stays chunky, and then mix the cheese into the veg/bread mixture. As written, I found it more 'egg' pudding than 'bread' pudding, and didn't care for the hard crust of cheese atop it all. Taste-wise though, good combination.
Laura
Delicious! Chose not to smash the bread as much as the recipe indicated, left more chunks. It turned out great.
Bob
I was pleasantly surprised how this turned out as I really wanted to mix the eggs in with all the rest before loading into the dish. The texture reminded me of a babka (my family's term for a type of kugel with grated potatoes and onions) which immediately transported me back to my childhood. It also did a good job of balancing the chard aspect for my kids! They ate it up.
Annabella
Good basic recipe, but it needs a higher flavor profile. I added oregano and thyme instead of rosemary. I also increased the amount of garlic by a clove. Added chopped parsley as well.
Note after cooking
For one loaf baking dish:Large bunch of Swiss chards, 250 g. oyster mushrooms. Cook chards stems and mushrooms with garlic and seasoning in a skillet first, add greens to wilt.Add herbs to vegetables: oregano, thyme, tarragon, etc…Half whole milk, half whey. Did not soak bread, filled baking dish and then let sit in the fridge for one night.Bake 45 minutes.
Misha
Made according to Joyce’s variation with tender rainbow chard from the garden, which I could not bear to blanch or steam. Added the chopped chard to the skillet just as the onion and peppers softened. Tossed the bread cubes with the cooked veggies without soaking. Keeping the cubes intact gives the bread pudding a lovely, fluffy texture. Incredibly delicious!
Myr
I made this as directed and loved the light texture. I found the taste a bit bland but will try again and play with different/more herbs.
Joyce
Made this my own way by sautéing all the vegetables together, including the chard. I kept the bread, which I cut in cubes, out of liquid until just before baking when I made a custard of 3 beaten eggs and about 1 1/3 cup of whole milk seasoned with salt and pepper. Mixed about 2/3 of the cheese in with the veg and bread, before pouring on the custard, adding the rest after. Baked for 45 minutes at 350. Yum!
Laura
Delicious! Chose not to smash the bread as much as the recipe indicated, left more chunks. It turned out great.
Bob
I was pleasantly surprised how this turned out as I really wanted to mix the eggs in with all the rest before loading into the dish. The texture reminded me of a babka (my family's term for a type of kugel with grated potatoes and onions) which immediately transported me back to my childhood. It also did a good job of balancing the chard aspect for my kids! They ate it up.
KW
This was texturally disappointing, though it tasted good enough. Next time I make something like this, I will increase the bread by half (6 ounces), delete one egg, and increase the milk to at least a full 2 cups. And, not mush the bread so much so that stays chunky, and then mix the cheese into the veg/bread mixture. As written, I found it more 'egg' pudding than 'bread' pudding, and didn't care for the hard crust of cheese atop it all. Taste-wise though, good combination.
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