Ham and Cheese Strata

• 6 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 cups day-old French or Italian bread
• 1/2 pound smoked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups Gruyere or your favorite melting cheese, coarsely grated

1. Generously butter a baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and gently mix with a spatula.
4. Add half the strata to the baking dish then top with half the cheese.
5. Spoon the remaining strata on top of the gruyere, then add the ham in an even layer and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
6. Let the strata sit for twenty minutes before you bake.
7. You can also refrigerate the strata overnight.
8. Just make sure to let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10. Bake the strata uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
11. Allow the strata to cool for about 5 minutes before you serve.

eggs, milk, salt, freshly ground black pepper, freshly grated nutmeg, italian bread, ham, gruyere

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/ham-and-cheese-strata-recipe/ (may not work)