Bread pudding conjures up sweet, dessert memories for most people, but this homey dish has a savory side, too. It’s called a strata, and you can even serve it for breakfast.

What’s cool about a strata is that you can use it to transform many of those odds and ends lurking in the refrigerator into the festive star of brunch or luncheon. No one will accuse you of loving them less for serving leftovers when you present this deliciously custardy and cheesy bread pudding.

You can work most of the magic the day before, prepping the ingredients and assembling the dish, alternating bread, vegetables or meat and cheese (“strata” is Latin for “layers”) before pouring in the milk and eggs that will mortar it all together. Then, just pop the strata into a hot oven to bake an hour before you’re planning to serve. Add a simple salad and a pitcher of mimosas and you’ve got a party to remember.

Funny thing is, while television celebrity chef Sara Moulton reports individual strata showing up as side dishes at smart Manhattan restaurants, this homey casserole has never really enjoyed the spotlight like its ritzy cousin, the quiche.

“There are not a lot of strata-makers,” said Joanne Chang, the Boston restaurateur behind three branches of Flour Bakery+Cafe, and partner, with her husband, Christopher Myers, in a funky pan-Asian diner called Myers + Chang.

“It’s funny because I’ve been doing it since I opened the bakery 10 years ago,” said Chang, author of the new “Flour” cookbook with Christie Matheson. “When I told Chris (Parsons, Flour’s first chef) I wanted to make a savory bread pudding, he thought I was nuts. A lot of chefs don’t think of it because it sounds like a pastry.”

But it’s so easy. A strata is essentially a baked custard or, as Chang puts it, a “shortcut way” to make a quiche but without the need to make and pre-bake a pie crust or tart shell.Like a quiche, a strata appeals because of its custardy, cheesy quality, said Moulton, whose latest book is “Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners.”

“Anything you throw cheese into is just superb,” said Moulton, who used to whip up many a strata as executive chef for the now-defunct “Gourmet” magazine. “A strata is yet another excuse to throw cheese into something.”

A strata is also a way to use up any surplus, stale nonsweet bread. Chang recommends tossing any leftover bread directly into the freezer and stockpiling it for a strata.While an overnight stint in the refrigerator gives the bread ample time to absorb the eggs, milk and seasonings, Moulton said, a strata can be left to soak for one hour or can be popped immediately in the oven, depending on your schedule.

What you bake the strata in will also affect the finished dish. A shallower container, like a gratin dish, will result in a crispier strata, Moulton noted, while a strata baked in a deep soufflé dish won’t have the same degree of crunch.

Moulton says the big trick in making a strata is to ensure the dish doesn’t overcook or bake at too high a temperature. Too much heat will cause the eggs to curdle, she said.

Chang believes making a strata is a “good way to clean out your fridge,” but cautioned that you want to use ingredients that are still viable — don’t go with over-the-hill food.“Really, this dish is meant to be created with the bits and ends of meats and veggies and cheeses” she writes about her wild mushroom, greens and Parmesan strata recipe. “You won’t believe the delicious result from such humble beginnings.”

When is bread pudding done? Chang offers this tip. You can test the doneness of the bread pudding by inserting a knife in the middle of the pan and bending it backward a little to see if the custard mix has set up. If liquid fills the hole that you have made with your knife, the pudding needs more time.

WILD MUSHROOM, WINTER GREENS AND PARMESAN STRATA—Yield: 10 servings

6 cups day-old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes6 egg yolks2 eggs1/4 cup flour4 cups half-and-half2 teaspoons salt, divided1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves1 teaspoon black pepper, divided1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided1 clove garlic, smashed2 cups lightly packed winter greens, such as escarole or kale, chopped2 shallots, sliced3/4 cup each shiitake and oyster mushrooms1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Procedure:1. Place bread in 13-by-9-inch baking dish or roasting pan. Whisk together yolks, eggs and flour in medium bowl. Whisk in half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg. Pour mixture over bread. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add 2 tablespoons oil to large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and greens; cook, stirring, until greens are wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove greens from skillet; set aside. To same skillet, add remaining oil over high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are browned, 4-5 minutes. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Remove mushroom mixture from skillet.3. Add greens, mushrooms, shallots and 3/4 cup Parmesan to soaked bread. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining Parmesan. Bake until browned and set, 35-40 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes at room temperature. Cut into squares; serve warm.4. Leftover strata may be refrigerated for up to three days well-covered — reheat in 300-degree oven until heated through, about 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition data per serving: 349 calories, 62 percent of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 212 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 871 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Sara Moulton credits her grandmother Ruth for this simple dish, essentially a ham and cheese sandwich transformed into a strata. Use any flavorful melting cheese and pork product, Moulton suggests in her book “Sara Moulton Cooks at Home,” like cooked bacon, pancetta, prosciutto or country ham. Many strata recipes call for sitting refrigerated overnight; this dish needs just one hour.

HAM AND CHEESE SOUFFLÉ—Yield: 4 servings

8 slices homemade-style white bread, crusts removed1/4 pound thinly sliced cheese (Muenster, provolone, fontina or Gruyere)2 ounces prosciutto or ham, thinly sliced, optional3 eggs2 cups whole milk1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Procedure:1. Arrange 4 slices bread on bottom of lightly buttered 8-inch-square baking dish. Cover each with equal amounts of cheese and prosciutto. Top with remaining bread.2. Beat eggs lightly in small bowl. Pour in milk. Add salt; blend well. Pour over sandwiches, cover, refrigerate 1 hour.3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sandwiches until lightly brown around edges and set in center, 40-45 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition data per serving: 482 calories, 39 percent of calories from fat, 21 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 209 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 1,379 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND APPLE STRATA—Yield: 12 servings

2 teaspoons oil2 pounds chicken apple sausage, thinly sliced2 large Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced12 pieces day-old white bread, cubed9 eggs, slightly beaten3 cups milk1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper3/4 teaspoon dry mustard1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese, divided

Procedure:1. Heat oil in large skillet. Add sausage; brown on both sides. Remove sausage to large bowl. Add apples to same skillet; cook until golden brown. Add to sausage. Add bread cubes to bowl.2. In separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Add egg mixture to sausage mixture. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Cover; refrigerate overnight.3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour egg mixture into greased 12-inch skillet or 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Nutrition data per serving: 377 calories, 54 percent of calories from fat, 23 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 246 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 995 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

A savory strata, such as this Wild Mushroom, Winter Greens and Parmesan strata, adds sparkle to brunch, whether on a holiday or not. Photo by MCCLATCHY