by Joan Saunders | photos by Kathryn Alvarez Photography –
The month of December can be a very busy one in so many ways. In order to enjoy the events that roll around each year, it’s important to me to try to manage my time and make sure that I don’t get overwhelmed and miss out on the pleasure of seeing family and friends.
So I make lists. A lot of lists. It helps me to keep organized and on track with what’s coming up in the weeks ahead. I also try to have a few meals tucked away in the freezer or, if I know people are coming by and are hard to pin down on exactly when they’re arriving, have some treats ready to pull out. Alternatively, cheese, crackers and some dried fruit are always a crowd pleaser. I try to remember that it’s not my food they’re coming to visit, but me. Let’s hope so, anyway.
That’s why I love casseroles, at any time of day. If people are wandering by for breakfast, you don’t need to worry about making pancakes, eggs and bacon if you’ve got this wonderful croissant casserole ready to go that you can easily assemble the night before. Add some coffee, tea, juice and fruit, and you’re ready to enjoy the time with your guests, instead of fussing about the time you’re spending in the kitchen.
This casserole is a definite upgrade from ones I used to make. It’s got so many more layers of flavour, as the croissants are very buttery and their cooked texture alternates between soft and crispy. The combination of cheeses gives it a subtle nutty taste, and the fluffy eggs beautifully tie the mixture together. If you would rather keep it as a vegetarian dish, you don’t have to add the prosciutto, but it does augment the whole recipe with some salty, crispy yumminess.
Don’t buy expensive croissants to make this, as that’s not necessary. It’s all of the other ingredients that elevate the base layer of the croissants. They’re still important for the overall recipe, but they don’t need to be top-of-the-line, French bakery croissants. Those are for savouring on their own, another time, with good salty butter and some lovely jam.
With this dish as part of your breakfast or brunch, you do have options. If a lot of people are coming by I would also make some scones, fry up some turkey sausages and have a big plate of fruit. Then those who aren’t as keen as I am on casseroles can have something a bit simpler. If it’s just a few people, then just keep it easy and put out fruit to round out the meal. And, hopefully, there will be some of this wonderful casserole left over for me to tuck into again later in the day. After all, I also have to take care of myself in December, don’t I?
Holiday Croissant Casserole
2 tbsp salted butter, thinly sliced
6 croissants, torn into thirds
8 eggs
3 cups whole milk (3.25% milk)
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
300 g (1 package) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups grated Gouda cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
100 g thinly sliced prosciutto (1 package), each slice torn in half widthwise
Preheat oven to 350°. Use a bit of butter to grease a 9×13 pan.
Arrange croissant chunks (as they’re already torn into thirds) throughout the baking dish. Put bits of sliced butter on top of croissant chunks. Bake croissants until they’re lightly toasted, about 6-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let cool for about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, sage, nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach that you’ve pressed as dry as you can, and ¾ cup of each of the cheeses (1 ½ cups total). Carefully pour mixture over pan filled with toasted croissants. Try to distribute it evenly. Top with remaining grated cheese. Take prosciutto and push scrunched-up pieces partway in between some of the croissant chunks. Cover pan; put in fridge for at least one hour, or overnight.
When ready to bake casserole, preheat oven to 350°. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until centre of casserole is set. If croissants get too brown before it’s finished baking, cover with foil and continue to cook. Remove from oven; let cool a few minutes before serving.
Adapted from:
Half Baked Harvest: Super Simple, Tieghan Gerard, Clarkson Potter.
