Herby Sausage & Fennel Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ lbs Italian bread, cut or torn into ¾” pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb bulk mild Italian sausage
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3 cups chicken (or turkey) stock
• 8 tbsp (¼ lb) butter
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup chopped dried Turkish apricots
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios

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Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Spread the bread into an even layer on a half sheet pan. Toast in the oven for 20 minutes until lightly golden.

2. Cook the Sausage

• Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
• Once hot, add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sausage is browned on all sides.
• Season with a pinch of kosher salt.

3. Combine Toasted Bread and Sausage

• Transfer the toasted bread to a large mixing bowl.
• Pour in 2 cups of the stock and the cooked sausage (with all the olive oil and drippings).
• Stir well to coat the bread and let it sit.

4. Caramelize the Vegetables

• Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat.
• Add 4 tbsp of butter, then add the onion, fennel, and leeks.
• Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are caramelized and tender.
• Turn off the heat, and melt in 2 more tablespoons of butter, along with the sage, parsley, and rosemary.
• Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

5. Assemble the Stuffing

• Add the cooked vegetables to the bread bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1 cup of stock, then pour into the bread mixture.
• Mix everything well to combine.
• Transfer the stuffing into a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish.

6. Bake the Stuffing

• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

7. Prepare the Apricot-Pistachio Topping

• Wipe out the skillet again and return it to medium heat.
• Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and let it melt.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the apricots and pistachios.
• Spoon this mixture over the stuffing.

8. Final Baking

• Continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the stuffing is golden and cooked through.

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Enjoy this delicious sausage stuffing with the sweet and crunchy apricot-pistachio topping!