Sausage, Fontina, and Bell Pepper Strata

Great, easy brunch dish for company!

• Ready In: 1 hr 55 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 6  large eggs
• 2 1⁄2 cups  whole milk
• 2  cups  sliced green onions
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄2 cup  finely grated romano cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  lb  hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1  large red bell pepper, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
• 1  lb  loaf of rustic  French bread, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2  cups  loosely-packed coarsely grated Fontina cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 13x9x2" ceramic or glass baking dish.
2. Whisk first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; sprinkle generously with pepper. Set aside.
3. Place sausage in large nonstick skillet; push to one side. Add bell pepper to other side of skillet. Saute over high heat, breaking up sausage with fork, until sausage is cooked through and bell peppers are brown in spots, about 7 minutes.
4. Arrange half of bread slices in prepared dish. Pour half of egg mixture over. Sprinkle with half of cheese, then half of sausage-pepper mixture. Repeat layering. Let stand for 20 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread to submerge. Bake strata until puffed and brown, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.