The Best Turkey Stuffing (Side Dish)

Ingredients:

• 110g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the baking sheet
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 450 g raw sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 0.5 cups dry white wine
• 450 g assorted wild mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 celery stalks, diced, plus leaves for serving (optional)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 sage leaves, chopped (about 2 tbsp)
• 5 sprigs thyme, leaves finely chopped (about 2 tbsp)
• 4 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• 16 cups stale white bread cubes (see note)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Grease a 22x32 cm baking pan with butter.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
3. Add the wine to the pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, then add the mushrooms. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and reduced to about half their original volume, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the sausage.
4. Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Then add the celery, onion, sage, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
5. In another large bowl, combine the eggs and parsley. Add the bread cubes and stir. Add the fried sausage and mushrooms and stir. Add the vegetables and broth and stir again to distribute evenly. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Then remove the lid and continue baking until golden brown, another 30 minutes. Sprinkle with celery leaves, if using.
   
   Note
   
   This recipe recommends using white bread, but you can use any bread you like (you'll need 16 cups total). We used sourdough bread and also used half white and half rye bread. If you only have fresh bread, cut it into cubes, spread it on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven at 150°C for about 10 minutes.