Reuben Casserole

1. Stage

Prepare the pan and heat the oven: Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Stage

Cube and crumb the bread: Take 6 slices of the bread and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Ultimately, you need enough bread to cover the bottom of your baking dish. If you're bread isn't pre-sliced, you might need more to do this. Take the remaining 2 slices of bread and pulse in a food processor until fine crumbs are formed.

3. Stage

Chop the meat and the cheese: Chop the pastrami (or corned beef if you’re using) into bite-sized pieces. I do this by stacking it and cutting the meat first in strips, then I cut across the strips to form rough squares. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s a casserole. Stack the cheese slices one on top of the other, then cut it in strips, and then cut across the strips into squares.

4. Stage

Make the filling: In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and smoosh it with a spoon or spatula to soften and break it up a bit. Add the meat, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, caraway seeds, and salt. Stir to combine, making sure you fully incorporate the cream cheese.

5. Stage

Layer the casserole: Place the cubed bread on the bottom of your baking dish (slice and add more cubes if needed to make a full layer). Then spoon the filling over the top of the bread. Spread it out as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

6. Stage

Bake the casserole: Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crumbs are toasted and the casserole is heated through.