Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole - 6-9 servings

Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole - Makes 9 serving squares

Adapted from UmamiGirl

This requires a couple hours of refrigeration; I like to get it ready the night before, and then pop it in the oven the next morning.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 5 oz Sliced Shiitake
• 1/2 tsp Salt, divided
• 5 oz Frozen Chopped Broccoli, defrosted
• 5 Large Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Milk (alternative milks, like almond and oat, work just fine)
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg 
• Pinch Ground Cayenne
• Freshly Ground black pepper
• 4 cups Unseasoned dry leftover bread, or use Stuffing Cubes
• 3 oz shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, divided

Equipment:

Large Skillet

Oven

Square baking dish (~8") or braiser

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion, peppers, and shiitakes all at once, along with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring from time to time, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, browned a bit, and decreased in volume by at least half. Remove from heat.
3. While the other vegetables cook, place the defrosted broccoli on a thick layer of paper towels or dish rag, and cover with another thick layer. When the veggies in the skillet have cooked as noted above, press down gently on the paper towels to remove moisture from the broccoli. Then add broccoli to the skillet and stir to incorporate.
4. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat well with a fork. 
5. Stir in milk, nutmeg, cayenne, and a few good grinds black pepper. 
6. Add bread cubes and stir to moisten. 
7. Stir in all the vegetables, half the gruyere and half the parmesan or pecorino. Pour the whole mixture into the baking dish (or back into a braiser if using) and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 
8. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least a few hours before proceeding. Remove from fridge about an hour before baking if possible.
9. An hour before serving time, preheat oven to 375°F (350°F if using convection mode) with a rack in the center. Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve hot or even at room temperature.