Stuffing Recipe that Rocks

Stuffing has never been one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes, until there was stuffing with pancetta and chestnuts. This recipe is courtesy of celebrity chef, Giada de Laurentis and it has become a family favorite. Here is little Italian-American fusion that works. For red wine fans, this recipe is super red wine friendly. One cautionary note--please don't stuff your turkey with "stuffing." See the explanation in the "Roasting and Brining a Turkey" post.

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

6 TBL (3/4) stick Butter (halving it with olive oil is cool)

8 Oz. Pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice

2 Large onions, finely diced

2 Carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 Celery stalks, finely diced

2 TBL chopped fresh rosemary leaves

3 Garlic cloves chopped

2 (7.4 oz) Jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken

1/4 Cups chopped Parsley

1 Lb day-old Ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2/3 Cup or more canned low-salt chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Large eggs, beaten to blend

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 TBL of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic.

Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and parmesan and toss to coast. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover wtih buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.