Prosciutto and Fennel Stuffing

Place the racks in positions 1 and 4.

Lay the slices of bread on the first and fourth rack in the oven. Cook until completely dry, about 90 minutes. While baking, vent the oven 5 seconds every 15 minutes to let out any moisture that the bread releases. Cut the toasted bread into 1-inch cubes.

Lay out the prosciutto on a sheet pan. It is okay if the edges overlap. If your prosciutto is especially thin, you may want to divide it between two sheet pans. If that’s the case, leave the oven racks in positions 1 and 4 for this step. Bake until crispy and golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the prosciutto. Remove from the oven and let cool before roughly chopping.

Butter an 11- by 7-inch baking dish.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, fennel, celery, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the stock and eggs. Add the cooked vegetables and prosciutto and stir to combine. Add the bread cubes and stir until all the bread is thoroughly coated. Pour into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.

Transfer to the oven and bake until deeply golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.