Country-Sausage And Sage Dressing

• 1 1/2 pounds untrimmed French or Italian bread
• 2 teaspoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 pound bulk sausage - do not use Italian sausages with seasonings such as anise or fennel - shaped into 9 patties of more or less equal size
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery
• 3 cups peeled and cored apples, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage leaves or half the amount dried
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups simmering fresh or canned chicken broth
• Salt to taste, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the untrimmed bread into one-inch cubes.
3. There should be about 21 cups.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the sausage patties.
5. Cook, turning the pieces often, about eight minutes or until cooked through and browned on both sides.
6. Remove the patties and pour off almost all the fat from the skillet.
7. Cut the patties into bite-size pieces.
8. Heat the skillet and add the onion and celery.
9. Cook, stirring, about three minutes, then add the apples.
10. Cook, stirring, about three minutes longer.
11. Stir in the sage.
12. To a large bowl, add the cubed bread, sausage pieces, the apple and sage mixture, the beaten eggs, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste.
13. Blend well, tossing gently to moisten without making the mixture mushy.
14. Use two tablespoons of the butter to grease a pan measuring about 18 by 12 by 2 1/2 inches.
15. Pour the dressing into the pan and smooth it over.
16. Dot with the remaining four tablespoons of butter.
17. Place in the oven and bake one hour.

untrimmed, corn, sausage, onion, celery, cored apples, sage, eggs, simmering fresh, salt, freshly ground pepper, unsalted butter

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/751 (may not work)