Bread Bake with Egg, Spinach and Feta Recipe
This bread bake is a way to use up slices of bread and turn them into something much more interesting than ordinary sandwiches. Eggs, spinach and feta create a flavour a bit like Greek spanakopita, but instead of filo pastry you use regular bread. It’s perfect for a late breakfast or a light supper.
This bread bake combines a homely slice of bread with a touch of Mediterranean cuisine – the flavour of spinach, feta and nutmeg really recalls spanakopita, but in a much simpler, home‑style form. Thanks to baking, the bread turns into a soft base soaked with the egg‑and‑milk mixture, with a pleasantly crisp top. It’s a great way to use up stale bread without feeling like you’re just eating “leftovers”.
Chef's tips
Slightly dried‑out bread works best – very fresh bread can fall apart and the bake will be too wet, so if needed, toast the cubes in the oven for 5–7 minutes. Before putting the dish in the oven, make sure every piece of bread has touched the egg mixture – you can gently press everything down with a spoon. If you’re using frozen spinach, squeeze out the water really thoroughly, otherwise the centre may stay too wet and not set properly.
How to serve
Serve it with a simple tomato and cucumber salad with yoghurt or vinaigrette – it will add freshness to the creamy bake. For a late breakfast it goes well with strong filter coffee or tea with lemon, and for supper with a lightly dry white wine. This dish is perfect for lazy weekend mornings when everyone gets up at different times – the bake reheats well in the oven or in a covered frying pan.
Ingredients
- wheat or mixed bread slices, can be stale - 8 slices
- spinach fresh or frozen leaves - 250 g
- feta cheese - 150 g
- egg - 4 pieces
- milk - 200 ml
- garlic - 2 cloves
- rapeseed oil - 1 tablespoon
- butter for greasing the dish - 10 g
- nutmeg optional, ground - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste (careful, feta is salty)
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Grease an ovenproof dish with butter.
- Cut the bread into cubes of about 2–3 cm and put them into the dish, spreading them out evenly.
- Finely chop the garlic. If using fresh spinach, rinse and dry it; if using frozen spinach, defrost it and squeeze out excess water.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Add the spinach and fry for 3–5 minutes, until wilted (fresh) or fully defrosted and the excess water has evaporated (frozen). Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Spread the spinach evenly over the bread in the dish.
- Crumble the feta with your fingers into smaller pieces and sprinkle over the spinach and bread.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, add a little pepper and, if needed, a very small amount of salt (remember the feta is salty). Pour the mixture evenly into the dish so the bread soaks well.
- Wait 5–10 minutes so the bread absorbs some of the liquid.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the egg mixture is set and the top is lightly browned.
- After removing from the oven, let the bake rest for a few minutes and serve warm.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, and reheat in the oven or in a frying pan with a lid over low heat until warmed through. Eat within 1–2 days. The texture is best when reheated in the oven rather than in the microwave.
