Karl’s Cheese Strada

Before I left home for the first time, I sat down with my mother’s recipe box and wrote down my favorite dishes.  Mom’s Cheese Strada apparently had eggplant in it (I don’t remember this being the case, but it is clear on the card that I typed up at the time). Since that time I have discovered that I am allergic to eggplant (No moussaka for you!), so I have rewritten the recipe to suit myself.

Although this was not a Sunday dinner, it came out so well that I had to share it. It was even better the next day when I fried slices of the strada in a little butter for lunch.

Karl’s Cheese Strada

Ingredients

5 cups sourdough bread cubes
4 Tbs. butter
One medium onion, chopped
½ tsp. Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb. frozen spinach
2 eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup sherry
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ lb. Swiss cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a pan and toast the bread cubes. Remove to a bowl.

2. Add the last of the butter to the pan and sauté onions with the salt until soft, and just starting to pick up some color. Add the garlic and sauté 2 minutes more.

2. Defrost spinach by pouring hot water over it and drain it well by taking handfuls of spinach and squeezing the water out of it.  Add it to the pan and stir it into the onions and garlic.

3. Mix the next 6 ingredients in a bowl to make the sauce.

4. Layer the half the bread cubes, spinach mix, and cheese in a casserole. Repeat the layers.

5. Pour the sauce evenly over the bread and cheese and bake at 350° for 40 minutes.