Savory Mushroom Tomato Parmesan Bread Pudding

Have you made a savory bread pudding instead of stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner? I never thought of it until I made this Savory Mushroom Tomato Parmesan Bread Pudding in cooking class the other day. In fact, I’ve never made a savory version, mine have always been on the sweet side, like my Pumpkin Bread Pudding I made last March.  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter + some for greasing
2 leeks, sliced thin
8 oz cremini mushrooms, remove stems and slice thin
Sea salt and pepper, to taste 
2 cups baby spinach 
6 cups sour dough bread, cubed (we used English muffins)
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese 
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese + some for the top
4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups half and half
2 teaspoons fresh thyme 
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped 
2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced and placed on a paper towel 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F

In a 12” cast-iron skillet or a 4 qt Dutch Oven set over medium heat add the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the leek and salt and pepper cook until softened. Add in the spinach and stir until wilted, about a minute more. Remove to a bowl, set aside 

In another bowl add the bread, gruyere cheese, beaten eggs, half and half, thyme and rosemary, mix well and make sure all the bread gets absorbed. Salt and pepper, to taste. 

Wipe out the skillet and grease it with butter. Add a 1/3rd of the bread mixture, then a third of the sliced tomatoes, top with a third of the mushrooms and sprinkle 1/3rd of the parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Repeat twice ending with the last of the grated cheese. Bake until the custard sets and the top is browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove, serve hot...straight from the skillet. Yum Yum!