Start by preheating your oven to 375°F so it reaches the right temperature by the time you're ready to bake. While it heats, prepare all your ingredients: mince the garlic cloves, cut the broccoli into small 1-inch florets, shred the cheddar cheese, and finely chop the fresh parsley. Having everything ready before you start cooking will keep the workflow smooth and prevent the egg mixture from sitting too long before baking.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bulk sausage, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks, and cook for about 8 minutes until it's mostly browned and cooked through. Add the minced garlic in the final minute of cooking, stirring constantly to prevent burning—this brief cook time will keep the garlic flavorful without becoming bitter. Transfer the cooked sausage and garlic to a plate and set aside.

While the sausage cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 5-7 minutes until they're tender-crisp but still hold their shape. Immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. I like to dry the broccoli really well because any excess moisture can make the final bake watery—this simple step makes a big difference in texture.

In a large bowl, crack the room-temperature eggs and whisk them together until well combined and slightly frothy. Pour in the heavy cream and whisk to blend smoothly. Add half of the shredded cheddar (about 1 cup), the finely chopped parsley, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk everything together until the mixture is uniform and the cheese is distributed throughout—this creates a rich, creamy custard that will set into a savory cake as it bakes.

Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with oil or butter. Layer the cooked sausage from Step 2 evenly across the bottom, then scatter the blanched broccoli from Step 3 over the sausage. Pour the egg custard mixture from Step 4 over everything, making sure it distributes evenly and reaches into all the corners. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the top as the final layer. Place in the preheated 375°F oven and bake for 28-32 minutes until the eggs are set but still slightly jiggly in the very center—the residual heat will continue cooking it slightly as it cools.

Remove the bake from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the eggs to fully set and makes it easier to cut into clean portions. I find that letting it rest briefly also helps the flavors settle and the texture becomes more cohesive. Slice into squares and serve warm—it's delicious fresh from the oven or even at room temperature later.