Bread stuffing with sausage and kale (side dish)

Ingredients:

• 110g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 450 g raw sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch kale (preferably Tuscan), stems trimmed, leaves chopped
• 3 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 16 cups stale white bread, cut into 1cm cubes (about 700g)
• 110 g provolone cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C and grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter.
2. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the celery, onion, thyme, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and parsley. Add the bread cubes and meat mixture and mix well. Stir in the provolone cheese. Transfer the bread filling to the prepared baking dish. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into cubes and arrange them on top of the filling.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until golden brown, another 20 minutes.