Asparagus Bread Pudding

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
• 12 slices day-old egg bread, 1/2-inch slices
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 8 eggs
• coarse salt
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• butter, for baking dish
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese
• chopped fresh herb, to taste (rosemary, thyme, chives or tarragon)
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Recipe

• 1 cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal.
• 2 steam asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly tender.
• 3 chill under cold running water; drain well.
• 4 whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper until well blended.
• 5 butter a 12 ½ x 8 x 4-inch oval casserole dish (or 12-cup baking dish).
• 6 layer 4 slices of bread in dish, overlapping as necessary.
• 7 top with one-third each of asparagus, provolone and herbs. repeat layering.
• 8 pour egg mixture over top.
• 9 cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 1 day to let egg mixture soak into bread.
• 10 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 11 sprinkle pudding with parmesan cheese.
• 12 bake on middle rack for about 60 minutes or until centre is set and top is golden.