Orange-Pistachio French Toast Casserole
When I was growing up, my mom had a popular phrase she’d say in Arabic when she liked something, and it loosely translates to “just like pistachios.” She would say this about all kinds of dishes — rice pilaf, oatmeal, or even a cheese pie. It meant that it was something unique, rich, and delicious. Pistachios are expensive to buy and tedious to shell, but they add such a beautiful pop of color and crunch that can make any dish special. So of course, when I started creating my own recipes, I literally found myself adding pistachios to everything from Mediterranean salads to ricotta stuffed ravioli to this orange-pistachio French toast casserole. They make everything more extraordinary, and I can just hear my mom saying “just like pistachios!”
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large loaf of French or Italian bread, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 1/2 cups pitted chopped Medjool dates, divided
- Maple syrup, for serving
- 1/4 cups finely chopped pistachios, for serving