Cooking for a crowd can be stressful, especially when faced with the prospect of having to feed them all before your first cup of coffee has really kicked in. These are two recipes I love to cook any time (including for dinner!) but especially when I know I’m going to have some hungry friends or relatives sauntering downstairs at any moment.
Breakfast Pie
There are a million recipes out there for what is basically a huge, baked frittata, but this one came to me from a family friend, handwritten on an old recipe card. It is the ultimate make-ahead breakfast dish, and I actually prefer it reheated in individual serving-size pieces the next day. The texture firms up, the flavors meld, and you get even more crispy edges.
It is also infinitely customizable. Switch up the cheese, use vegetarian sausage (or none at all), add some leftover sautéed greens or other cooked vegetables (patted dry or wrung out if very damp). You can also halve the recipe.
12 eggs
4 cups whole milk
10 pieces white sandwich bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (I use Sunbeam; save your artisan loaves for toast!)
2-3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided (I like Cracker Barrel brand and always grate it myself. The pre-grated stuff melts funny or not at all)
2 pounds bulk breakfast sausage, such as Jimmy Dean (I like the hot variety)
1 tsp. dry mustard (optional)
½-1 teaspoon table salt, depending on how salty your sausage and cheese are
Pepper to taste (I usually add ¼ teaspoon at least)
Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 11x17 pan, or two smaller pans.
Cook the sausage over medium high heat until no longer pink, breaking up with a spoon. Drain or spoon out excess fat. Set sausage aside to cool.
Crack eggs into your largest mixing bowl and beat until combined. Slowly whisk in milk. Whisk in salt, pepper, and mustard, then add bread cubes and press down gently so that they begin absorbing the custard. Fold in cooled sausage and 1 generous cup cheese.
Pour into prepared pan(s) and top with remaining cheese. You want a good amount of cheese on top, so you may need to grate more.
Bake for 45 minutes (for a large pan), or until top is golden and the sides are sizzling and starting to brown. Best if cooled for at least an hour before serving. Better if reheated the next day, sliced into individual pieces, in a 300 degree oven, until warmed through.
My Favorite French Toast
There are also many recipes for French toast casseroles or French toast-bread pudding hybrids floating around, but I prefer this more traditional approach. It’s easy to make the custard ahead, and if you have a griddle, you can easily cook 6-8 pieces in about 10 minutes and hold them in the oven while you cook the rest. The recipe scales up or down easily, and leftovers reheat amazingly well. I’ve been known to make it for dinner and polish off whatever’s left for breakfast the next day.
The original recipe comes from Daniel Gritzer at Serious Eats. I’ve added some personal observations and suggestions.
6 large eggs
4 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract [I go for more like ½ tsp]
2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter for the pan, plus more for serving
Eight (1/2-inch thick) slices white bread [I use a loaf – 10-12 slices – of brioche or challah from the store. It really takes this over the top and is worth seeking out.]
[A few drops of Fiori di Sicilia, or a teaspoon (or four) of bourbon, added to the custard in addition to the vanilla are also lovely.]
1. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200°F. If using very fresh, moist bread, arrange slices in a single layer on the rack and cook in oven, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla [and any other flavorings] until thoroughly combined. Add milk and whisk to blend.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat, swirling skillet, until foaming subsides, about 5 minutes. Soak 2 slices of bread in egg bath, turning, until saturated. [I find that most bread saturates very quickly. A few seconds tops or it will fall apart. Sometimes I’ll put a thin layer of custard in a baking dish, lay in 3-4 slices of bread, an pour a little custard over the top, turning until saturated but not mush.] Add soaked bread to skillet and cook, swirling occasionally, until browned on bottom side, about 3 minutes. [I like to use a cast-iron griddle that covers two eyes on the stove, well buttered]. Sprinkle top side of bread with sugar [liberally; don’t be shy!], flip, and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer French toast to the rack in the oven in a single layer to keep warm and repeat with remaining slices of bread and egg bath.
4. Serve French toast with pats of butter and maple syrup.
What are you having for dinner (or breakfast!) tonight? What are your favorite dishes to make for a crowd?