Apple, Walnut, & Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients

2 baguettes, cut into ½” cubes (10-12 cups)
1-pound sausage
4T olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and medium dice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ cups celery, medium dice (6 large stalks)
1 ½ cups apple, medium dice (1 large apple)
2 cup (8 oz.) mushrooms, washed and sliced
1½-cup chicken stock
½ cup white wine
3T fresh sage, chopped
1 T fresh thyme leaves
1cup toasted walnuts* rough chop
2 eggs, beaten
salt & pepper

1. Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry completely; dry overnight or place in a 350° F oven for 10 minutes.

2. In a large size sauté pan over medium heat, heat 2T of the olive oil; add the sausage. Using a spoon, break it into pieces and cook until brown. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into a large bowl.

3. If needed, add the remaining 2T olive oil to the pan (you may have enough oil left from cooking the sausage); and sauté the onions for 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic cook and another minute. Add the celery, apple and mushrooms. Continue cooking until slightly softened, about 5-8 minutes.

4. To the large bowl with the sausage, add the bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, chicken stock, wine, sage, thyme, and walnuts. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with salt & pepper, then add the eggs and fold them into the stuffing. The stuffing mixture should look moist, but not have puddles of liquid. If too dry, add a little more wine or stock.

5. Stuffing can be used to stuff turkey or place in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake in a 350° F oven until hot, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 5-10 minutes to brown and crisp up stuffing.

*To roast nuts: preheat oven 350º F. Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Shake the pan and continue baking until nuts are toasted, about 3-5 minutes more. Let them cool. The roasted nuts can be store in an airtight container for weeks.

TIPS & TRICKS

• You can cube and dry out your bread ahead of time. Store in an air tight containers. It can also be frozen.

• If the sausage is in a casing, remove it. I like to use Italian sweet pork, but you could also use chicken or turkey sausage.

• You can also do step #1 to #3 ahead of time or can be frozen.

Apple & Walnut Crostata

Ingredients

Pastry:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
8T butter, cut into cubes and cold
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
8T iced, cold water

Filling:
 3-4 medium size apples (about 1½ pounds): (gala, pink lady, or pipen)
2T brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
2T turbinado or Demerara sugar

1.    Pastry: In a food processor, add the flour, salt, and sugar; pulse a few times until combined.  

2.    Add the butter and then pulse until the mixture has bits of butter the size of peas.  

3.    Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture starts to come together. Dump the dough onto a large piece of plastic film: use the plastic to bring the dough together.  

4.    Flatten into a disk and chill at least 1 hour.

5.    Preheat oven to 400° F. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a rack in the middle of the oven.

6.    On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a circle about 14 inches in diameter,

6b. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet pan.  Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

7.    Fruit: Peel and cut the apples into slices. Place in a medium size bowl and toss with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and nuts.

8.    Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Pile the apple nut mixture on the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the fruit, making pleats and making sure that there are no holes.  

9.    Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

10.    Place the baking sheet into a 400° oven directly on the pizza stone for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown, until brown. 

11.    Carefully pull on the parchment paper to remove the crostata from the baking sheet and place onto a cooling rack; cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  

Tips & Tricks:

• Pastry can be made 3 days ahead and kept in refrigerator. Place disc into a ziplock bag and freeze.  It freezes beautifully up to 3 months. Defrost in refrigerator overnight.
• Use any firm apple that is your favorite or in season.
• Use regular or golden raisins. 
• You can also use different nuts; almonds, pecans or hazelnuts are delicious.
• The turbinado or demerara sugar adds a nice sweet crunch to the pastry. 
• Baking the crostata on a pizza stone helps the crust brown and keep crispy. 
• The crostata is best served warm to room temperature. 

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Apple & Walnut Crostata

by Nancy Madok October-10-2017

Apple & Walnut Crostata

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 8T Butter, Cut into cubes and cold
• 1tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 8T Iced, Cold Water
• 4 Medium Medium Sized Apples About 1 1/2 Pounds - Gala, Pink Lady, or Pipen
• 2T Brown Sugar
• 1tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 Cup Raisins
• 1/4 Cup Walnuts Roughly Chopped
• 1 Egg Beaten
• 2T Turbinado or Demerara Sugar

Instructions

Pastry: In a food processor, add the flour, salt, and sugar; pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and then pulse until the mixture has bits of butter the size of peas. Add the cold water and pulse just until the mixture starts to come together. Dump the dough onto a large piece of plastic film; use the plastic to bring the dough together. Flatten into a disk and chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400° F. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a rack in the middle of the oven.On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a circle about 14 inches in diameter, then transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet pan. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Fruit: Peel and cut the apples into slices. Place in a medium size bowl and toss with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins and nuts. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Pile the apple nut mixture on the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the fruit, making pleats and making sure that there are no holes. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. 20 minutes, until brown. Carefully pull on the parchment paper to remove the crostata from the baking sheet and place onto a cooling rack; cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. TIPS AND TRICKSPastry can be made 3 days ahead and kept in refrigerator. It freezer beautiful up to 3 months. Use any firm apple that is your favorite or in season.Use regular or golden raisins. You can also use different nuts; almonds, pecans or hazelnuts are delicious.The turbinado or demerara sugar adds a nice sweet crunch to the pastry. Baking the crostata on a pizza stone helps the crust brown and keep crispy. The crostata is best served warm to room temperature.

Details

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 8