| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 8 cups (1-inch-diced) day-old bakery white bread, crusts removed
- 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
- 6 cups (1/2-inch-diced) leeks, white and light green parts (5 leeks)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated Emmentaler Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, tossing once, until lightly browned. Place the pancetta in one layer on another sheet pan and bake in the same oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Place the pancetta on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
- Meanwhile, soak the leeks in water until they’re clean, and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Heat the butter in an 11-inch pot over medium heat, add the leeks, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the wine almost evaporates and the leeks are tender. Off the heat, mix in the artichokes, toasted bread cubes, chives, and tarragon.
- Whisk the eggs, cream, chicken stock, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Spoon half of the bread mixture into a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the Emmentaler and add the remaining bread mixture. Pour on the cream mixture, sprinkle with the remaining Emmentaler, and press lightly to help the bread absorb the liquid. Dice or crumble the pancetta, scatter on top, and sprinkle lightly with pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the cream mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the bread pudding is puffed and golden. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 619 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Cholesterol | 217 mg |
| Sodium | 712 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 619 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Cholesterol | 217 mg |
| Sodium | 712 mg |
Reviews
Have made this many times before and love it. We’re traveling so I’ll need to bake it off the day before and then warm it back up. Any thoughts on the best way to re-heat it? Thanks so much.
Made this for the first time this Thanksgiving….MANY guests raved about it and asked for the recipe. It was a great non-meat alternative to the traditional sausage stuffing I also served. Super easy to put together…I prepped the leeks/chokes the day before (saute-ing them with the herbs etc), cooled and stored in the fridge. The day of, I reheated it in the microwave and added the bread and egg mixture, combined and baked. The day after Thanksgiving – I used the leftovers in a crustless quiche…divine!
Excellent! I also put the pudding under the broiler for the final couple of minutes and used cheddar cheese. The top crust is the best!
This is delicious! I didn’t change a thing and it turned out perfect! A must keep recipe.
Made this for my family! It was awesome!
What a wonderful and flavorful dish. Made it for a friends holiday dinner party. Everyone loved it.
Delicious! Omitted the tarragon because I don’t care for the flavor and added some garlic. Made the day before thanksgiving and then let come to room temp and baked off right before thanksgiving lunch. Will definitely be making again!
Great make ahead recipe to replace stuffing. Yummy!
My new favorite dressing recipe. Very rich but so good.
Hi Ina! In the episode you say this can be made two days in advance. Do you prep the whole dish (including soaking the cream mixture) in advance?