Simple Stuffing

From Everyday Food Magazine, Nov 2007.

(Click here for a photo.)

Ingredients

• 2 loaves Italian bread (about 10 ounces each), torn into bite-size pieces
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
• 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 4 shallots [or 2 onions] minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine [I used chicken broth]
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• [optional add-ins: 
• 1/2 to 1 lb Italian sausage
• 2 apples [such as Granny Smith], chopped
• raisins
• dried sage
• chopped fresh mushrooms
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake until crisp but not browned, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. [Alternate way to make your bread stale: cube it onto a cookie sheet and leave it out overnight.]
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery, shallots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. [Add add-ins at this step.] Add wine [chicken broth] and cook until evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. To vegetables in bowl, add bread, parsley, and eggs. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir to combine. Mix in half of broth. Continue to add in more broth just until stuffing is moistened but not wet (there should not be any liquid in the bottom of the bowl).  [Note: For "crispier" stuffing, don't add as much broth. Spread it on a cookie sheet to bake, 20 minutes at 400, then flip it over with a spatula and put it back in for another 7-10 minutes.]
4. Just before roasting turkey, stuff it with 4 cups stuffing. Spoon remaining stuffing into a buttered
   8-inch square baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil, and refrigerate. When turkey is removed from oven to rest, place covered baking dish in oven, and bake until warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.