STUFFING WITH ITALIAN FLAVORS

Ingredients

1 pound day-old sour dough bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 10 cups)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

3 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, bulbs very coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground

9 ounces prosciutto, chopped

1 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

4 large eggs, beaten to blend

1 cup or more chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread cubes and place on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 10 minutes. Cool and place in a large bowl. Melt butter in large skillet. Add sliced onions, chopped fennel bulbs, and fennel seeds, and saute over medium-high heat until onions soften, about 6 minutes. over high heat. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto, pine nuts, parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Add fennel mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in beaten eggs.

Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Butter foil or parchment paper and cover dish. Bake 35 minutes; uncover and bake 20-25 minutes longer until bread cubes on top are crisp and golden.

This stuffing is really a savory bread pudding, delicious alongside a Thanksgiving Roast Turkey, or duck or goose.

Ingredients

1 pound day-old sourdough bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 10 cups)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Raineri Silver Foil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, bulbs very coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground
9 ounces Galloni Prosciutto, chopped
1 cup pine nuts from Spain, toasted
1/3 cup Asiago Food Funghi Porcini Secchi, reconstituted in hot water, and chopped coarsely
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
4 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup or more chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread cubes and place on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 10 minutes. Cool and place in a large bowl. Melt butter in large skillet; add olive oil. Add sliced onions, chopped fennel bulbs, fennel seeds, and chopped porcini mushrooms, and saute over medium-high heat until onions soften, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto, pine nuts, parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Add fennel mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in beaten eggs.

Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Butter foil or parchment paper and cover dish, buttered side down. Bake 35 minutes; uncover and bake 20-25 minutes longer until bread cubes on top are crisp and golden.

Referenced Products

Prosciutto di Parma (Crudo) [2]

Pine Nuts (Pignoli) [3]

Raineri Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Silver Foil) [4]