Strata has been a part of American cuisine for quite some time. By 1900 it was being found in cookbooks, but it was a 1980s cookbook that brought the dish back into the spotlight. This simple baked casserole is easy to make and works for a variety of meals. Since the main ingredients are bread, milk, eggs, and cheese it’s often considered a breakfast or brunch food. But, honestly it makes for a great lunch or dinner, too.

This simple recipe begins with some French bread or Texas toast. You can use slices of bread, or you can tear each slice up into smaller chunks. Either way works well during baking. However if you were to double the recipe for a crowd, using whole pieces can better help to delineate servings which may make it easier to divvy up.

My mom used to make hers by cutting square slices of bread in half to form triangles. It was a nice, decorative touch, but any way to deal with the bread will turn out delicious.

Once you have your bread and cheese layered (hence the name “strata”) then pour on the egg and milk mixture and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. This way the bread can soak up some of the milk.

Bake this until golden brown on top and serve while piping hot. For brunch you only need to add a few sausages and some berries or fruit to make a complete meal with tons of flavor and panache. There’s a reason this recipe has been a classic for generations.

This creamy cheese strata is hearty, savory, and is a real crowd-pleaser that comes together with only a short list of ingredients and minimal effort.