As soon as I saw the picture of Carole Savastano’s casserole in the December issue of About magazine, I knew I wanted her recipe. I immediately tore out the page.
“Sunrise Casserole” is a Savastano family favorite, especially at the holidays. The egg, sausage and cheese dish makes for a hearty breakfast, brunch or dinner.
But as the mother of a vegetarian, I tweak it for my family. So here is Carole’s version, and mine. Enjoy.
SUNRISE CASSEROLE
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped, drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 cups half and half
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Crumble sausage into skillet and sauté until browned over medium-high heat. Drain, then add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 3 tablespoons parsley, then spread mixture into bottom of greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs, yolks, half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, then pour over sausage mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
My version: Replace the sun-dried tomatoes with roasted red peppers. Replace the pound of sausage with Morningstar Farms Italian sausage (vegetarian).
The Repository
