Description

This Rustic Bake with Escarole is a savory, hearty casserole featuring spicy Italian sausage, wild mushrooms, fresh escarole, and creamy gouda cheese all baked together with rustic bread in a flavorful egg and milk custard. It’s perfect for a comforting brunch or dinner with a delightful mix of textures and robust flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Sausage and Vegetables

8 ounces Spicy Italian Ground Sausage
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Shallot, sliced
2 cups Wild Mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped
3 cups Escarole Lettuce, torn

Others

4 cups Rustic Bread, cut into cubes
6 ounces Gouda, cut into cubes
5 Eggs
2 cups Milk
3 tablespoons Butter
Salt, to taste
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to prepare for baking.
Brown Sausage: In a pan over medium-high heat, brown the spicy Italian sausage until fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed, then remove the sausage from the pan and set aside while retaining the pork fat in the pan.
Prepare Aromatics: Slice the shallot, chop the garlic, fresh rosemary, and roughly chop the wild mushrooms, setting them aside for sautéing.
Cube Bread and Cheese: Cut rustic bread and gouda cheese into evenly sized cubes and set aside.
Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Using the same pan with pork fat, melt butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms, sautéing until fragrant and softened. Stir in the cooked sausage and then remove from heat.
Mix Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until smooth and combined.
Combine Ingredients: Add the cubed bread into the egg mixture, followed by the sautéed mushroom and sausage mixture.
Add Escarole and Cheese: Fold in the torn escarole lettuce and the gouda cubes, blending all ingredients gently but thoroughly.
Prepare Baking Dish: Butter your baking dish generously to prevent sticking and add flavor.
Transfer and Season: Pour the combined mixture into the prepared baking dish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Bake: Bake the casserole uncovered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, allowing the custard to set and the top to become golden.
Serve: Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then serve warm and enjoy your rustic bake.

Notes

For a milder flavor, substitute spicy Italian sausage with mild sausage or turkey sausage.
Wild mushrooms can be replaced with cremini or button mushrooms if unavailable.
Use day-old rustic bread for better absorption of the custard.
Ensure the escarole is well torn for even distribution and texture.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Casserole
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: rustic bake, escarole casserole, Italian sausage bake, savory bread casserole, wild mushrooms, gouda cheese, hearty brunch