Sometimes the twist tie just didn’t get twisted tightly. Sometimes last night’s dinner party involved a bit too much wine and not enough bread. In any case, don’t dismiss the value of day-old bread. This artisanal treasure can be turned into a number of sweet and savory dishes that may actually (dare we say) be better than the loaf itself.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, whipping cream, œ cup of fontina cheese and oregano until well combined. Set aside.
In a skillet set over medium heat, saute the hot Italian sausage until browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and saute the red peppers and onions until soft. Remove from heat combine with the drained sausage in a medium size bowl.
Add the bread slices to the buttered baking dish in an even layer.
Pour half of the egg mixture over the bread and spread half of the sausage mixture evenly on top, pressing down the back of a wooden spoon. Repeat the layering.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of fontina cheese on top and cover with plastic wrap. Weigh down with another baking dish for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is brown and puffy. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
2½ cups whole milk
½ cup whipping cream
½ cup plus 1 cup grated fontina cheese, divided
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 lb. hot Italian sausage (or chorizo)
1 cup diced red pepper
1 cup diced onion
1 loaf day-old bread, cut into ½-inch thick slices
This article appears in November 2012.