Savoury sausage apple and sage bread pudding is an elegant twist on traditional stuffing – the perfect Thanksgiving side dish for your roast turkey!
A Sleepy Hollow Feast
As the last days of summer fade and fall begins, it’s the perfect time of year for a journey to Sleepy Hollow for a fall feast. Washington Irving’s short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,is a true celebration of autumnal food and feasting. The central character, Ichabod Crane, a bumbling schoolteacher in Sleepy Hollow, is simultaneously terrified by tales of the headless horseman and easily distracted by the rich bounty of autumn’s harvest and its promise of a delicious meal. As a result, the descriptions of abundant golden crops and lavish autumnal meals are endlessly woven throughout this mysterious American gothic tale.
Savoury bread pudding
Among the many delectable roasts that Ichabod Crane envisions on his rides through the countryside of Sleepy Hollow, is the noble turkey. Ichabod imagines a turkey delicately trussed and served up with a necklace of sausages. To fulfill Ichabod’s wish for a dressed roast turkey with sausage, we have prepared this savoury sausage bread pudding – an elegant twist on traditional stuffing. With crumbled sausage, sweet apples, and fragrant sage, this savoury bread pudding is the perfect, comforting accompaniment for your roast turkey dinner.
Ingredients
Sausage: I recommend using a mild Italian sausage for this recipe.
Apples: I used honey crisp apples, although any kind would work. The apples are sautéed before adding to the bread pudding which will remove some of their liquid.
Bread: While I prefer using cubed French bread, any type of white bread would work. If possible, use day old bread for this bread pudding. Stale bread will absorb the egg custard better than fresh bread. If you don’t have stale bread, you can dry it out in the oven before assembling.
Cheese: I like using Gruyère cheese for this bread pudding, however, you could choose your favourite cheese instead. A sharp white cheddar would be another great option.
How to Make Sausage, Apple, And Sage Bread PUdding
Prep the bread pudding
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Cut the french bread into 1-inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet to dry out. If the bread is very fresh, bake the bread cubes for 5 to 7 minutes. The bread cubes should be somewhat dry but not browned.
Remove the sausage from their casings and crumble it into a non-stick skillet. Sauté the sausage over medium high heat until fully cooked. Drain the sausage and wipe the skillet clean. Add the olive oil to the skillet along with the diced onion. Sauté the onions for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the diced apples and cook until tender. Add the chopped fresh sage and cook for another minute then remove from the heat and let cool briefly.
In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, milk, heavy cream, kosher salt, nutmeg, ground sage, and pepper. Whisk together.
Assemble the bread pudding
Transfer half of the bread cubes to the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the sausage and cooked onion apple mixture. Repeat the layers. Pour the egg custard over the bread cubes. Add half of the shredded cheese and gently toss the bread with your hands to make sure it is evenly coated. Let sit for 5 minutes then gently toss the bread cubes again. Top with the remaining cheese.
Serve the Sausage Apple and Sage Bread Pudding
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle of the bread pudding comes out clean. Serve the bread pudding with roast turkey and gravy and enjoy!
