Spread bread with butter. Place in greased 9x13x2 inch casserole. Crumble sausage into skillet. Cook gently, stirring to keep it in small pieces, until no longer pink. Lift out of skillet with slotted spoon. Spread over bread. Sprinkle cheese over sausage.
In bowl, combine eggs, half & half and salt. Mix well. Pour over cheese. Cover. Chill overnight. Remove casserole from refrigerator, let stand 15 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake strata, uncovered, until set, about 45 minutes.
Let stand a few minutes before cutting into squares. 8-12 servings.
