About
Cetta Strata brings the best of Italian home cooking and American casseroles... sounds like a heart-warming dish to us! Fatty, crispy pancetta melds with savory mushrooms and fresh spinach before being topped with a layer of creamy cheese and sweet, floral apricot preserves. The result is a cheesy, hearty, meaty bake that has something for everyone. Cetta Strata is a layered meal that can feed everyone at the dinner party with a flavor that's out of the stratosphere.
Ingredients
- 1/3 pound pancetta, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 1/3 cups sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 5 cups multigrain bread, cubed
- 1/2 cup almonds, optional, sliced
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) carton mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
Directions
Step 1 -Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 2 -In a large skillet, cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes.
Step 3 -Transfer the pancetta using a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Step 4 -Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan, discarding the rest.
Step 5 -Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the drippings and heat over medium-high heat.
Step 6 -Add the onion, cooking until tender, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 7 -Transfer the onion to a large bowl.
Step 8 -Heat the remaining butter in the pan.
Step 9 -Add the mushrooms to the pan, cooking until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 10 -Stir in the spinach to the mushrooms and cook until wilted, about 30-45 seconds.
Step 11 -Add the bread cubes, the mushroom mixture, the pancetta, and the almonds to the onions, tossing to combine everything.
Step 12 -Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Step 13 -In a large bowl, beat the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper until blended.
Step 14 -Beat in the mascarpone cheese into the egg mixture until just blended.
Step 15 -Pour the mascarpone cheese mixture into the baking dish.
Step 16 -Sprinkle the top of the dish with the mozzarella cheese and the Asiago cheese.
Step 17 -Spoon the apricot preserves over the top of the cheese layer.
Step 18 -Cover and refrigerate the dish for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
Step 19 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 20 -While the oven heats, transfer the strata from the fridge.
Step 21 -Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes.
Step 22 -Sprinkle the strata with the basil.
Step 23 -Let the strata stand for at least 5 minutes.
Step 24 -Serve.



























