RECIPE

© Stephanie Foley

Cheesy Tomato-Bread Strata

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

This strata is a little like a pizza casserole. Grace Parisi mixes tomatoes, basil and garlic with chunks of toasted sourdough bread and shredded cheese, then bakes the dish until it’s moist in the center and wonderfully crispy on top.

Plus: Delicious Ideas for Cooking with Bread

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Ingredients

1. 4 thick slices of sourdough bread (about 8 ounces), crusts removed and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
2. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1 pound tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
4. 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
5. 2 tablespoons chopped basil
6. 1 small garlic clove, minced
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper
8. 6 ounces imported Fontina cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium bowl, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, just until lightly crisp.
2. In the same bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olives, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the toasted bread and cheese, toss well and transfer to a deep 10-inch glass pie plate. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is browned on top. Serve hot.

Serve With

Green salad.