4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 celery ribs, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
9 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old Italian bread, about 1 large loaf
36 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped, about 10 ounces
3 medium Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups turkey stock

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and generously butter two medium baking dishes that are at least 2 inches deep. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add celery and onions; cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add sausage and cook, stirring, just until it loses its pink color, about 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with prunes, apples, parsley and sage. Add sausage mixture and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add eggs and turkey stock; mix well.

Divide stuffing between the buttered dishes. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 10 minutes longer, or until heated through and browned on top. Cool slightly before serving. Makes 10 cups.