Pan de Santa Teresa ~ St. Teresa's Bread

October 15th is the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila, a great saint and Doctor of the Church. For her feast this year, I am planning on making Pan de Santa Teresa (St. Teresa's Bread), a yummy looking recipe found in A Continual Feast by Evelyn Berge Vitz.

PAN DE SANTA TERESA

(St. Teresa's Bread)

"This dish, named after St. Teresa of Avila, makes a tasty breakfast or brunch especially for children. It is a first cousin to French toast, but with a flavor and texture all its own."

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 lemon peel, piece
• 12 slices Italian/French bread (a little stale) 1/2-3/4 inch thick
• 3 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• Cinnamon-sugar for sprinkling
• Olive oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the milk with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon peel. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes, until the milk has become well flavored. Place the bread in a large flat dish or pan, and strain the milk over it.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl with a pinch of salt. With a spatula, lay the slices of bread in the egg, turning them to coat both sides. Beat additional eggs and salt together if necessary to finish coating bread slices. Fry the bread in the olive oil until it is browned and crusty on both sides.

Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Saint Teresa of Avila ~ Pray for us!