Toby really likes to have lots of food for breakfast or brunch, whereas I usually can only eat about a serving of cereal or two pancakes before I’m full. So, while Toby loves strata, I often can only eat a few bites. This one is different. I tried it because I like artichokes and goat cheese, but we ended up liking it more than we even expected because it’s much lighter than your average strata.

I guess it makes sense that it’s light, since the recipe is from Cooking Light.

If you haven’t heard of a strata before, it is a baked dish that contains eggs and cubed bread, among other things. It’s easiest to assemble it the night before and then just stick it in the oven in the morning.

If you don’t assemble it the night before, make sure you let everything sit for at least 20 minutes before you bake it.

Fear the goat. But not the goat cheese.

You could probably make this in a smaller baking dish than I did. To assemble, you layer the mixture and goat cheese, then bake. Easy and tasty.

Artichoke and goat cheese strata (Adapted slightly from the March 2011 edition of Cooking Light)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large shallot
1 10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence (I didn’t have this, so I used 1/4 teaspoon thyme with a dash of savory, fennel and basil)
1 3/4 cups milk (their recipe says to use 1 percent, I used skim)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 loaf country-style white bread
Cooking spray
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Finely chop the shallot and mince the garlic cloves. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl pan to coat. Add shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic, then cook for 8 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until artichoke hearts are starting to brown.

Remove mixture from heat and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool for 10 minutes.

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes (this should make about 5 cups of bread cubes).

Combine milk, pepper, salt and eggs in a large bowl and stir with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and bread, toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture.

If preparing the night before, cover mixture and refrigerate. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking. If you’re cooking it the same day as preparing, let the mixture sit 20 minutes before proceeding.

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half of artichoke mixture into dish, then sprinkle half of coat cheese evenly over top. Add remaining artichoke mixture, then remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.