Pear & Apple Stuffing

Ingredients:

•  1 loaf day-old Pine Street Sourdough (cut into ¾-inch cubes)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 apple (firm & tart like Honeycrisp), diced
• 1 pear diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1½ tsp dried)
• 1¼–1¾ cups vegetable or chicken stock, divided
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning (or a blend of thyme, marjoram, and rosemary)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F 
2. Spread the sourdough cubes over two baking sheets in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 5–10 minutes, or until crispy and lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
3. In a cast iron pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter in the warm oven. Once melted, transfer to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, celery, apple, and pear. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden — about 15 minutes. Stir in the sage during the final minute of cooking.
4. In a very large mixing bowl, place the toasted bread cubes. Add the warm vegetable and fruit mixture and toss gently to combine.
5. Pour 1¼ cups of stock over the mixture. Add the eggs, parsley, and poultry seasoning, and stir until everything is well combined. If the mixture feels too dry, add more stock ¼ cup at a time, until it’s moist but not soggy. Taste and adjust with up to 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, as needed.
6. To bake separately: Transfer to a greased baking dish and bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, or until heated through and the top is browned and crisp.To stuff a bird: Spoon the stuffing loosely into the cavity just before roasting. 

Tip: The earlier in the day you mix the ingredients, the more time they have to develop!