Focaccia Stuffing with Pecans and Fried Sage

Preheat an oven to 375F (190°C). Butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a very large bowl.

Add the stuffing mix and pecans to the onion mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in the stock 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) at a time, making sure it is completely absorbed into the croutons and does not pool in the bottom of the bowl. Taste a crouton; it should be moist throughout but not mushy. You may not need all of the stock.

Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes.

While the stuffing is resting, make the fried sage: In a small fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until just shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the sage leaves to the pan and fry until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the leaves to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Sprinkle the leaves lightly with salt.

Garnish the stuffing with the sage leaves and serve hot. Serves 10 to 12.


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