Savory Bread Pudding with Ham and Gruyère

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bread pudding works best with stale bread. If your brioche is fresh, cube it and bake it at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until dry and lightly toasted.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan, then add the cubed ham. Cook until nicely browned, stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the ham and reserve.

Into the skillet, add another drizzle of oil, then add the diced onion and pepper; residual browned bits from the ham will help flavor the vegetables. Sauté the onion and pepper until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté for 2-3 more minutes, or until the spinach has wilted and shrunken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To a large bowl, add the cubed brioche, browned ham, cooked vegetables, and 1½ cups of the shredded gruyère (reserve the remaining ½ cup of gruyère to top the dish with). Mix until everything is well combined.

Add the bread pudding mixture to the greased casserole dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt until well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread pudding. Top the bread pudding with the grated Parmesan and the remaining gruyère cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the bread pudding sit and soak up the liquid for 15-20 minutes while the oven is preheating. Alternatively, you can assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover and place in the fridge to bake off the next morning.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and set, and serve warm.

Bread pudding can be made in advance. Cool, then freeze your bread pudding. When ready to serve, reheat covered at 350°F for 20-25 until hot.