The day before; Take ten ½" slices of commercial bread (sourdough, Italian, French) and cut the crust off. Air-dry or dry in slow oven. Defrost a 10 oz package of frozen spinach and drain.
The night before; Sauté 4 minced shallots with 2 T butter until clear, squeeze spinach dry, add S&P, and cook until combined. Set aside. Deglaze pan with ½ cup dry white wine and reduce to ¼ cup. Set aside. Spread a little butter on one side of the bread slices, and lightly butter an 8x8 baking pan. Arrange half the slices, butter side up, in one layer. Spread half the spinach mixture in a layer, top with ½ cup grated cheese (I like Gruyère) and repeat for the next layer. Beat 6 eggs into 1¾ cup half & half, add the reduced wine and S&P. Pour over casserole, shake out any bubbles, and cover with plastic wrap. Put a weight on top, a gallon zip-lock with rice works well, and fridge.
Morning service: Pull casserole and let stand while oven is coming to temperature (325°) Uncover and sprinkle with another ½ cup of cheese and bake on middle rack until edges have pulled and center is puffed (about 55 min). Let it stand on a rack before cutting or your portions won't come out clean.
Variations: It's essentially bread pudding with layers. Keep your filling (Asparagus And Crab, sausage and mushroom, etc) relatively dry and match your cheese to the flavor profile of the rest of the meal. Don't overcook, remember that the residual heat will finish the job as it stands. If you absolutely gotta need to get a golden top, use the salamander, some panko, and butter. The recipe will double for a 8x13 pan, just add 5 or 10 minutes to the oven time.
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