Today we will prepare a Classic Italian Sausage Stuffing...with a few extra ingredients because I love to take things over the top. We will be adding some cranberries (for taste and beautiful color) apples and crushed pecans. If you are not a fan of any or all of these extras, then please just leave them out. But if you do like them, throw them in....they all just add to an amazing stuffing!!! Some people are so intimidated by making your own stuffing. Please, please, please, whatever you do this Thanksgiving, please make your own stuffing. DO NOT USE A BOX!!!!
It is seriously so easy to do and is incredibly delicious. I am making this one very easy by using the bag of stuffing cubes. You can choose to use a great fresh loaf of Ciabatta bread. It is equally as simple, all you have to do is cut the bread into tiny cubes and toast on a sheet tray in the oven. You can chose either one, both are amazing. Here we go...
CLASSIC ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFING
1 LARGE ONION CHOPPED
4 STALKS OF CELERY (INCLUDING LEAVES) CHOPPED
8 CLOVES OF GARLIC CHOPPED
2 LBS SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE
HANDFUL OF FRESH PARSLEY CHOPPED
2 LARGE APPLES CHOPPED
1 CUP DRIED CRANBERRIES
1/2 CUP CRUSHED PECANS
2 BAGS OF SEASONED STUFFING CUBES
1 CUP GRATED PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE
2 BOXES PREPARED CHICKEN BROTH
3 TBLSP OLIVE OIL
3 TBSP BUTTER
SALT & PEPPER
Begin by heating the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and celery and saute until translucent and soft approx 15 minutes. I like to use the celery stalks with the leaves. There is so much flavor in the leaves. Season all well with salt & pepper.
It is seriously so easy to do and is incredibly delicious. I am making this one very easy by using the bag of stuffing cubes. You can choose to use a great fresh loaf of Ciabatta bread. It is equally as simple, all you have to do is cut the bread into tiny cubes and toast on a sheet tray in the oven. You can chose either one, both are amazing. Here we go...
CLASSIC ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFING
1 LARGE ONION CHOPPED
4 STALKS OF CELERY (INCLUDING LEAVES) CHOPPED
8 CLOVES OF GARLIC CHOPPED
2 LBS SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE
HANDFUL OF FRESH PARSLEY CHOPPED
2 LARGE APPLES CHOPPED
1 CUP DRIED CRANBERRIES
1/2 CUP CRUSHED PECANS
2 BAGS OF SEASONED STUFFING CUBES
1 CUP GRATED PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE
2 BOXES PREPARED CHICKEN BROTH
3 TBLSP OLIVE OIL
3 TBSP BUTTER
SALT & PEPPER
Begin by heating the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and celery and saute until translucent and soft approx 15 minutes. I like to use the celery stalks with the leaves. There is so much flavor in the leaves. Season all well with salt & pepper.
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Next add the chopped garlic and cook until soft. Then add the chopped parsley.....
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Next, remove the sausage from it's casing, crumbling it up with your hands before throwing it into the saute pan.....
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Brown the sausage until completely cooked through.....
Lastly, add the chopped apples and allow to cook just for a minute or two. Then remove from the heat. You do not want the apples to overcook or get mushy.
Now grab a BIG mixing bowl..... Add the two bags of stuffing into the bowl and get the rest of your ingredients ready to mix in!! You can crush your pecans also.
Now grab a BIG mixing bowl..... Add the two bags of stuffing into the bowl and get the rest of your ingredients ready to mix in!! You can crush your pecans also.
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Now just go ahead and add each ingredient into the bowl....the grated cheese, the cranberries, the crushed pecans and the sausage mixture.....in any order you wish!
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Now you can slowly add the chicken broth in 1 cup additions while mixing..... giving it a bit of a rest in between each addition so the broth can be soaked up by the cubes. So you will definitely use the whole first box but maybe not the whole second. You want the cubes softened but not mush so start with half of the second and see how it goes until at the consistency you like.
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Sweet from the fruits, savory from the sausage, soft from the bread cubes yet nutty and a bit of a crunch from the pecans. Yes.....this stuffing has it all going on! It is incredibly delicious, but remember if you do not like one of those ingredients like the nuts....then just leave them out! It will still be amazing!!! You can definitely make this stuffing the day or even two days before Thanksgiving day so you are all ready to go on the big day. The only thing you have to remember is to pull in out of the frig very early, like 2 hours before you want the turkey to go in the oven. You would never want to stuff the turkey with cold stuffing and get it right into the oven. You should have the stuffing at room temperature before going in. This will give your turkey amazing flavor as it cooks. I like to make a ton and fill a casserole dish also separately. Just bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes before serving. Some people do not like to eat it out of the turkey and you will definitely want plenty of this left over for tomorrows Thanksgiving Wraps and Sliders......YUMMMMM!!!!!
ENJOY!!!!!!!!! ALL GOOD STUFF!!!!!!!!!
