Sausage, Apple and Chestnut Stuffing

Recipe courtesy of LeighAnn&Vinny

• 1 lb sourdough bread or course country white bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3/4 lb bulk pork sausage
• 1/4 cup butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 large celery stalks, chopped
• 2 large tart apples such as pippin or Granny Smith, peeled, quartered, cored and chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 lb fresh chestnuts roasted and peeled then coarsely chopped (You may substitute about 10 oz of vacuum-packed steamed chestnuts which have already been peeled). 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 eggs, well beaten

- Preheat the oven to 400

- Place the bread cubes in a large baking pan. Bake, stirring often, until lightly golden approx 12 minutes. Transfer the bread to a large bowl.

- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage crumbling with a fork, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bread.

- Add the butter to the drippings in the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and melt the butter.

- Add the onion and celery and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.

- Add the apples and thyme and sauté for 1 1/2 minutes. Add to the bread.

- Add the stock to the frying pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add to the bread.

- Mix in the chestnuts and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

- Mix in the eggs.

To bake the stuffing in a turkey, fill the cavities with the stuffing and truss; increase the roasting time of the turkey by 30 minutes. Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the remaining stuffing and spoon the stuffing into it; cover with aluminum foil. Bake alongside the turkey for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is crisp, about 30 minutes longer.

To bake all the stuffing in a baking dish, preheat the oven to 325. Grease a 13x9x2 baking dish and spoon the stuffing into it; cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is crisp, about 30 minutes longer.

Makes about 12 cups (5 lbs) stuffing, enough for a 16-lb turkey. Serves 8 - 10