Strata: Breakfast casserole from Cajun cuisine in Louisiana

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 tbsp oil or butter
• 80 g celery, grated
• 1 small red bell pepper(s)
• 120 g mushrooms
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 large garlic clove(s)
• 4 slices of toast
• 150 g Cabanossi
• 2 spring onions
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp mustard, hot
• 200 ml milk
• 100 g Cheddar cheese, grated
• ½ tsp cumin, ground
• Salt and pepper, black

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Total time approx. 12 hours 30 minutes

Peel and dice the onion, press the garlic. Wash, deseed, and finely dice the bell pepper. Grate and slice the mushrooms. Heat the fat, add the garlic and onions, and let them become translucent, then add the bell peppers, mushrooms, and celery. Fry everything for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Line an ovenproof dish with the slices of bread (you may need to lightly grease them first). Thinly slice the Cabanossi and arrange them on the bread. Cut the spring onions into rounds and sprinkle them on top. Beat the eggs and mix with the mustard, spices, and milk, then stir in the grated cheese. Add the vegetables and pour everything evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate the strata for several hours, preferably overnight. This should allow everything to infuse and the bread to absorb the liquid. Bake the next morning at 180°C for about 45 minutes. A baking tray with high sides is best. When preparing small batches (as suggested here), a springform pan (which should be airtight and the liquid should not leak) will also do. For non-rectangular pans, it’s recommended to dice the bread to make it easier to line the pan. The bottom should be covered with bread almost completely.