Fast and Furious Friday: Italian Sausage & Gruyere Baked Omelet

Today is the perfect day to make breakfast for dinner.  Do you love breakfast for dinner as much as we do?   Back when I used to watch copious amounts of Food Network TV, I saw Giada make this dish and I knew it would be something that TSM would enjoy.  I made very few changes to her recipe because for once the amounts on the recipe were accurate and the dish turned out. 

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I look at recipes that celebrity chefs post online I have to scratch my head in wonderment when it comes to their ingredient amounts.  It's like- Seriously?  You wrote half a cup, but you added 1 cup on the show. I watched you.  Or, it's the opposite.  They'll say half a cup, but they'll just use 2 TB.  It's rare that I don't have to do a minor overhaul to most recipes posted by TV chefs.  Thankfully, this one didn't need an overhaul and it's been one of my regulars during the cold winter months up here in Minnesota.  I'll sometimes serve with with homemade hashbrowns and some fresh fruit.  You could also change things up and add mushrooms, ham and Swiss cheese, or bacon, green onion and cheddar cheese.  Whatever you decide- try it this way once, and then send me an email telling me how much you love me.

This recipe does take a bit longer to bake than Giada said it does;  so to avoid burning the cheese on the top, I let it bake for about 15-20 minutes to get some color, then I turn the oven down to 350 degrees, and lightly place some foil over the top and bake another 10+ minutes.  Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bake a little longer.  Understand that you'll be taking it out of the oven when there is still a slight jiggle in the center.  Just let it sit for 5 minutes before serving, it will finish baking and it will set set up making it easier to remove it from the pan. 

If you're uneasy about serving eggs that are undercooked and can't tell if the dish is baked through, just  bake this dish until your digital kitchen thermometer reads 160 degrees.  If it starts to get too brown, feel free to cover it with foil as it bakes.


Italian Sausage & Gruyere Baked Omelet
Recipe adapted by: Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: 4-6
Start to Finish: 50-60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Butter, for greasing baking dish
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced fine
• 1/2 pound ground hot or mild Italian sausage, or 5 links casings removed.
• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• ½ green pepper diced small
• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 by 8-inch or 11 by 7 inch baking dish.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the red and green peppers and sauté for 3 minutes.  You want them slightly softened.
3. Add the sausage and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth.
5. Add  1-1/4 cup of the Gruyere cheese and the parsley. Stir in the onion, pepper and sausage mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and cover loosely with foil, reduce oven temp to 350 degrees and bake for another 7-10 minutes.  
6. Remove foil and sprinkle on remaining ¾ cup of cheese.  Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until GBD (Golden Brown Delicious).
7. Omelet is done when thermometer inserted into the middle reads 160 degrees F.  It might be a little jiggly in the center. (You can take it out at 155 and let it rest on the stovetop to finish baking from carry over heat).
8. Cut the baked omelet into squares and serve.

If you find the dish is browning too quickly but isn't cooking fast enough, just cover it lightly with foil.  I've been making this dish for 2-3 years or so, and it bakes at a different rate every time.  It's never baked in the time that it states on Giada's recipe.  She must have a really special oven. :)

Prep steps