ITALIAN APRICOT-PANCETTA STRATA

Italian Apricot-Pancetta Strata image

For me, the combination of sweet and savory along with easy preparation make this Italian-inspired strata a winning dish for home cooks everywhere! It can be served for breakfast, brunch, or as a late afternoon meal.-Naylet LaRochelle, Miami, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h10m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/3 pound pancetta, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1-1/3 cups finely chopped sweet onion
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
5 cups cubed multigrain bread
1/2 cup sliced almonds, optional
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 carton (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup apricot preserves
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Steps:

In large skillet, cook pancetta until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan., Add 1 tablespoon butter to drippings; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender. Transfer onion to a large bowl., Heat remaining butter in pan. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir in spinach; cook 30-45 seconds or until wilted., Add bread cubes, mushroom mixture, pancetta and almonds if desired to onion; toss to combine. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., In a large bowl, beat eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended. Beat in mascarpone cheese just until blended; pour over bread. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Asiago cheese; spoon preserves over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with basil. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 440 calories, Fat 30g fat (15g saturated fat), Cholesterol 165mg cholesterol, Sodium 514mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (15g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 15g protein.