Italian Stuffing with Sausage and Parmesan
Share this recipe with your friends!
Makes about 10 cups
Make-Ahead: Make the stuffing just before using.
When I asked my Italian-American neighbors how they make their stuffing,
they all shared what was essentially the same recipe. There's nothing subtle about
this stuffing--Italian sausage, red bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, and lots of
herbs give a zesty Mediterranean flavor. Some cooks add 1 cup toasted pine nuts or 1 cup
coarsely chopped black Mediterranean olives to pump up the flavor even more. If you
are making the Herb-Brined Turkey, bake this on the side instead of inside the bird.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
12 ounces day-old crusty Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups Homemade Turkey Stock, or use canned reduced-sodium chicken
broth, as needed
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion,
celery, red pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the
sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with a spoon, until the sausage loses its pink
color, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the bread and cheese and mix well. Stir in the butter and wine, and
enough of the stock to moisten the dressing, about 1 cup. Use as a stuffing. Or place in
a buttered baking dish, drizzle with an additional 1/2 cup broth, cover, and bake as a
side dish.
Playing Safe with Stuffing
For years, roast turkey meant stuffed turkey. Then, health concerns
arose about whether or not stuffed birds were safe. While these concerns are real, they
shouldn't affect sensible cooks who are familiar with common food safety practice.
-
Just follow these simple rules:
- Stuffing should always be cooked to at least 160° F in order to kill
any potentially harmful bacteria. When the turkey is done, insert the meat
thermometer deep into the center of the body cavity to check the temperature of the stuffing.
If it isn't at least 160° F, scoop the stuffing out of the cavity and transfer to a
casserole. Cover and bake at 350° F until the stuffing reaches 160° F.
- Always prepare your stuffing just before filling and roasting the
bird. Never stuff a bird the night before roasting, as the turkey cavity provides the
warm, moist environment that encourages bacterial growth. To save time on Thanksgiving
morning, prepared the stuffing ingredients the night before--chop the vegetables,
toast the nuts, and so on--and store them in self-sealing plastic bags in the refrigerator. If
you are really pressed for time, you can cook, cool, and refrigerate the seasoning meat and
vegetables the night before. But, reheat them thoroughly in a large nonstick skillet
before adding to the bread or grains.
- The stuffing should be warm when placed in the turkey. An ice-cold
stuffing may not cook to 160° F by the time the turkey is ready.
- Never mix raw meat or vegetables into a stuffing. All meat and
vegetables should be thoroughly cooked.
- Before serving the stuffing, remove it from the turkey and place in a
serving bowl.. Do not allow the turkey or stuffing to stand at room temperature for
longer than 2 hours. Refrigerate any leftovers separate from the turkey and use within 2
days. Reheat leftover stuffing thoroughly before serving.
|
