Recipe: Filo Sausage Egg Bake

Filo Sausage Egg Bake
Make this excellent breakfast casserole recipe the night before you want to serve it, or freeze for longer storage. It bakes up crisp, brown, savory and delicious in 50-60 minutes.

1 Tbsp. butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage
5 eggs
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli florets
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
20 filo pastry sheets, thawed
3/4 to 1 cup butter, melted

In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Saute red peppe, onion and mushrooms until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, brown sausage until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain and return mushroom mixture to skillet.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs well. Stir into the mushroom/sausage mixture; cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are set, about 5-6 minutes.

Add Monterey Jack cheese; remove from heat and let cool for 20-30 minutes.

In another medium bowl, combine broccoli, ricotta cheese and parsley. (If you're going to freeze this dish, do not thaw the broccoli.)

Unroll filo sheets and cover with plastic wrap and damp paper towel. Place 1 sheet in a 13x9-inch glass baking dish, folding to fit. Brush with melted butter. Add four additional filo sheets, brushing each with butter.

Spread half of mushroom/sausage mixture over dough. Layer and brush with butter five more sheets filo dough. Spread with all of broccoli/ricotta mixture.

Layer and brush with butter five more sheets filo dough. Top with remaining mushroom/sausage mixture. Layer remaining five filo sheets on top, brushing each with butter. Score top of filo dough in a diamond shape.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours or wrap well, and freeze up to 3 months. If refrigerated, uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

If frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator, then bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Servings: 10 to 12.