Heirloom Tomato & Dill Strata
Say it with me:
TOMATO SEASON, TOMATO SEASON, TOMATO SEASON!
I’m not sure I can think of anything as bittersweet as the day we start seeing heaping piles of gorgeous, multi-color tomatoes at the market. It’s the day I start going tomato crazy — craving a juicy, ripe tomato at every meal — and the day that we know Summer will, eventually, come to an end. But, like all good things, tomato season gives us something miraculous (and delicious!) to look forward to every year.
This time of year you can usually find me crafting elaborate tomato & cheese plates for absolutely no reason, but I wanted to find another way to enjoy these sweet summer beauties in an unexpected way. Strata (meaning “layers”) is an American-ish breakfast dish that was popularized in the 1970’s. Think of it as savory bread pudding — and the perfect brunch vehicle for anything you have in your fridge. The best part? You prep it the night before and bake it off in the morning, meaning you can totally skip your morning coffee and still succeed in making a delicious breakfast, even without your daily dose of caffeine! It couldn’t be more simple.
By roasting your tomatoes ahead of assembly, you’re concentrating their sweetness and adding a whole lotta depth of flavor, resulting in sweet pockets of tomato-y goodness in the final product. Using a deeper baking dish instead of a shallow one results in distinct layers. A crispy, golden-brown surface that’s loaded with gooey cheese in contrast with a custardy interior is my version of heaven, and fresh dill gives this dish a vibrant punch. If dill isn’t your thing, feel free to use another herb of your choosing, like basil.
If you don’t have access to heirloom tomatoes, you’ll get great results using whatever type of fresh tomato you can get your hands on. Halved cherry tomatoes would be a lovely alternative, as would beefsteak or Roma tomatoes. Just keep an eye on the oven so they don’t burn while roasting!
One final tip: let this strata cool before you dig in, for at least five minutes, but ideally ten. I can’t be responsible for burning the roof of your mouth on melty cheese! I promise — it’s worth the wait.
Heirloom Tomato & Dill Strata
Ingredients:
- 3 large (or 2 lbs.) heirloom tomatoes
- 1 loaf of crusty bread (approx. 1 lb.) , sliced 1" thick and torn into cubes
- 8 eggs
- 1.5 c. whole milk
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
- 1.5 c. gruyere cheese, shredded
- Olive oil
- salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove any stems from tomatoes, and slice each into 1" wedges, just like you would an apple. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes have released most of their juices and are very soft and brown in spots — approximately one hour.
- Fill an 8x8" (2 qt.) baking dish with as many bread cubes as will comfortably fit, and transfer those bread cubes to a second sheet pan. Reserve any remaining bread for a future recipe. Bake alongside the tomatoes and remove before they take on any color but are completely dry and crunchy — approximately 10 minutes. Remove to cool.
- While tomatoes continue to roast, butter your 8x8 baking dish thoroughly. Whisk together eggs and milk for one minute until completely combined, then whisk in chopped dill, nutmeg, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black pepper. Set aside.
- When tomatoes are roasted, remove from oven to cool. Begin creating layers (hence the word "strata," meaning layers!) of toasted bread, tomatoes, and gruyere cheese in your prepared baking dish, using all but 1/2 c. of cheese. Carefully pour in your egg mixture and sprinkle the remaining gruyere cheese evenly on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours.
- The next day, preheat your oven to 350ºF and let your strata come to room temperature. When oven is hot, grease one side of a large sheet of aluminum foil with oil (to prevent cheese sticking!), sprinkle top of strata with black pepper, cover tightly with the foil, and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Continue to bake for 25-30 minutes more, or until the strata is puffed, golden-brown, and center no longer jiggles.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with flaky salt and your favorite hot sauce.