This dish is something my grandfather, Joseph Martorana, used to make and one that my whole family loves. Its great as a light meal or game day snack.
Ingredients:
16 oz frozen mild pork sausage roll, thawed (Jamestown or Parks brands)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 loaf fresh Italian bread (not too skinny, not too fat)
1 egg
garlic salt
Begin by browning the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon and put aside. Reserve a few tablespoons of the remaining oil for later.
Add the onion and celery to the same pan and saute until browned. Add to the bowl containing the sausage.
Next, prepare the bread for stuffing. First, cut off both ends of the bread and put aside. Using a long, serrated knife, begin to cut the bread out of the center of the loaf, trying to get as much bread out as possible without compromising the outside. I try to cut out as much as possible and then continue to run the knife up and down the sides, shaving out as much as I can.
Holy Bread
Break the removed bread into small pieces and add to the sausage mixture along with the egg. Mix until combined.
Now stuff the mixture back into the hollowed loaf. Begin by standing the bread on one end and adding the stuffing with a spoon, pushing the mixture down each time. About halfway through, turn the bread over and stuff from the other side. Make sure to pack the stuffing as far down as possible so that it fills the entire length of the loaf. Depending on the size of your loaf, almost all of the mixture should fit. If you have any leftover, you can stuff the ends that you removed earlier and use a toothpick to attach to the rest of the loaf.
Stuffing Position
Place the loaf on a baking sheet. Brush the top with the oil reserved from the sausage earlier and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.
Oven-ready
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes and then cut into 1 inch slices and serve.
Note from the vegetarian sister: substitute meatless sausage (like Morningstar frozen patties or links.) But the egg becomes more important --otherwise it falls apart when you slice it. Last time I made this I scooped out less of the inside bread, making a narrower hole, which also helped it hold together.
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