Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Base
- 450 g rustic italian bread, cut into cubes and dried
Flavor Foundations
- 150 g prosciutto, roughly chopped
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Mix-ins and Aromatics
- 150 g dried figs, stemmed and quartered
- 100 g pecans, toasted and chopped
- 10 g fresh sage, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped
- 5 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 5 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
Binders
- 500 ml chicken broth
- 2 eggs, beaten
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 960 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 62 mg
- Potassium
- 481 mg
- Calcium
- 123 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 146 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 100 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.37 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 67 mcg
- Water
- 111 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C or 375F. Lightly grease the large baking dish with butter or oil.
Place the chopped prosciutto in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the fat renders and the meat becomes deeply crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the prosciutto to a paper towel, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Add the unsalted butter to the skillet with the prosciutto fat and melt over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent.
Stir the minced garlic, chopped sage, thyme, rosemary, dried figs, salt, and black pepper into the skillet. Cook briefly until the garlic and herbs are highly aromatic, then remove from heat.
In a small bowl, use a whisk to vigorously blend the chicken broth and beaten eggs together into a smooth liquid.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried bread cubes, the cooked vegetable and fig mixture, the crispy prosciutto, and the toasted pecans. Pour the broth and egg mixture over the ingredients and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the bread is evenly moistened.
Transfer the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 190C or 375F for 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the aluminum foil. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes to crisp the top.
Remove the stuffing from the oven and allow it to rest at room temperature before serving. This allows the internal moisture to fully redistribute.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture, tear your rustic bread by hand rather than cutting it into perfect geometric cubes. The jagged edges will crisp up beautifully in the oven.
- If using pre-sliced commercial bread instead of rustic loaves, you must toast the slices in a low oven until completely dehydrated, otherwise the stuffing will become gummy.
- The saltiness of prosciutto can vary wildly depending on the brand and age. Taste your mixed vegetables and bread before adding the final kosher salt, especially if your chicken broth is already seasoned.
- Black Mission figs provide a deep, jammy sweetness, while Calimyrna figs offer a nuttier, more delicate flavor. Both work excellently in this recipe, but make sure to remove any tough stems.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent absorbing other flavors.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175C/350F oven until warmed through, adding a splash of chicken broth to rehydrate if the stuffing seems dry.
Troubleshooting
Stuffing is too dry after baking
Cause: The bread was extremely stale or absorbed more moisture than anticipated.
Fix: Drizzle the top with warm chicken broth or melted butter before serving to reintroduce moisture.
Prevention: Check the moisture level before baking; the bread should feel thoroughly wet like a wrung-out sponge. Add an extra 50-100ml of broth if it looks dry in the bowl.
Stuffing is soggy or mushy
Cause: The bread was not properly dried out before use, or too much broth was added.
Fix: Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to evaporate excess moisture.
Prevention: Ensure bread cubes are dried out either by leaving them uncovered overnight or toasting them in a low oven until completely hard.
Cultural Context
While stuffing is inherently tied to American Thanksgiving traditions, the flavor profile of this dish leans heavily into Italian culinary heritage. The pairing of cured pork and sweet figs dates back to ancient Roman banquets, balancing rich umami notes with concentrated fruit sugars. Using rustic Italian bread as the base elevates this holiday classic into a Mediterranean-inspired centerpiece.
