Italian-Style Breakfast Casserole

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, about 3 - 4 minutes.

Step 3

If needed, remove the sausage from the casing. Add the loose sausage to the pan and break up into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is browned, about 4 - 5 minutes. As it cooks, stir the sausage occasionally and continue to break it up into smaller pieces. If the onion is browning too much, turn the heat down. (See note 1 for a time-saving tip.)

Step 4

When the sausage is browned, turn the heat off and remove the pan from the hot burner.

Step 5

Add the ricotta cheese to a large bowl. Whisk it until it is no longer lumpy, then crack three of the eggs into the bowl and whisk to combine. When this mixture is smooth, add the rest of the eggs and whisk again to combine.

Step 6

Add the bread cubes, sausage and onion mixture, black pepper, and Provolone and mozzarella cheeses to the bowl, but reserve about 1 ½ cups of the mozzarella cheese for the top of the casserole. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are combined and the bread cubes are fully moistened in the egg mixture.

Step 7

Grease a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Add the casserole mixture to the greased pan. Even out the top with the wooden spoon, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the eggs are set. Serve immediately. (See note 2 for re-heating instructions.)