A wonderfully tasty way to use up the rest of a loaf of any kind of bread is a homemade bread pudding. You can add in sweet flavorings like berries, vanilla extract and even chocolate chips for a unique dessert idea, or you can make a savory version of a bread pudding using your favorite vegetables, herbs and cheese.
This savory version of a bread pudding uses leftover rustic Italian ciabatta bread, sauteed leeks, garlic and mushrooms, along with creamy ricotta cheese mixed into the custard base. The custard base, no matter if you go the sweet or savory route, is the same in all variations–eggs, milk, salt and if you like, a creamy dollop of ricotta cheese makes for a moist texture throughout.
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Savory Mushroom & Ricotta Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
- olive oil cooking spray
- 4 cups day old bread, cubed or torn into 1-inch pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups milk or half and half
- ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 large leek, root end removed, stems removed, only light green and white section sliced into half-moons (rinsed well and patted dried)
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (chives, parsley, chervil, basil or rosemary)
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)
- grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil spray. Arrange the bread cubes in the greased pan.
- To make the custard base, lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper. Add in the milk and ricotta cheese, stir to combine until smooth and creamy.
- In a large, straight-sided saute pan, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and sliced leeks. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add in the sliced mushrooms and the chopped herbs; saute for another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have exuded their liquid and are tender. Add in the white wine and cook over medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed by half. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
- Divide the cooked mushrooms mixture evenly on top of the bread cubes in the casserole dish. Next, pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes in the prepared pan. Grate some Parmesan cheese (about 2-3 Tablespoons) over the top of the bread pudding. If using, drizzle a touch of truffle oil over the entire surface of the casserole.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until puffed up, golden brown and when a knife is inserted into the middle of the pudding, it comes out clean.
- Allow the bread pudding to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
Tagged: bread pudding, custard, eggs, garlic, leeks, milk, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, rustic bread, savory bread pudding, savory custard, savory mushroom bread pudding
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