Pesto and Prosciutto Breakfast Strata

My girlfriend, Carrie, invited me to her house for a Sunday "funday" brunch while the Bears were playing.  She's a talented home cook and I always look forward to her cooking more than watching football.  

For this get together, Carrie was serving a pesto and prosciutto breakfast strata, which she adapted from one of her favorite cookbook's, Colorado Colore: A Palate of Tastes.  This is a great brunch item for your guests and I would even recommend it as a go-to dish if you are planning a shower, holiday or any gathering. I promise it will be a hit!

adapted from Colorado Colore: A Palate of Tastes

ingredients

1 1/2 cup of organic whole milk
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 loaf of day old French bread, cut in 1/2 inch slices
8 ounces prosciutto di parma, thinly sliced
1/3 cup of fresh dill,  finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Gouda cheese, smoked and shredded
3 large tomatoes, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1/2 cup of pesto
6 organic eggs, beaten
1 cup heaving whipping cream
Kosher Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

preparation

In a medium-sized  mixing bowl, mix the milk and white wine together.  Take the sliced bread and dip it into the mixture until it is coated.  Squeeze the bread slices to release the liquid gently.
Take a 9x13 inch baking dish, coat it with nonstick coating spray, and begin layering the slices of bread overlapping. Next layer with the slices of prosciutto, dill, olive oil, cheese, pesto and tomatoes.  Set Aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with salt and pepper until blended. Pour the egg mixture over and cover the layers in the backing dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge up to 10 hours.  Before baking it, let it stand for 30-40 minutes at room temperature.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, drizzle the heavy whipping cream over the strata and bake for about 50 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. Enjoy!