Ingredients
1 large loaf rustic bread, trimmed of crust and torn into pieces (8 cups)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1/4 cup minced garlic
12 ounces pancetta, cut into small strips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped prunes
1 1/2 cups pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs (optional) for garnish
1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 crown roast of pork (8 to 10 pounds), frenched
10 Seckel pears, for garnish (optional)
10 lady apples, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out bread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 25 minutes. Remove. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.
While bread toasts, melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add pancetta. Raise heat to medium-high; cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in prunes, pine nuts, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Transfer to a large bowl. Let cool completely.
Stir reserved bread, the stock, and wine into onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Rub pork all over with salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons rosemary. Transfer to a roasting pan. Loosely fill cavity with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cover pork with foil. Roast until thickest part of pork (avoiding bones) registers 160 degrees, about 2 hours. While pork roasts: Bake stuffing, uncovered, until heated through and crisp, about 45 minutes. If desired, roast pears and apples in another 9-by-13-inch baking dish until soft and apples burst, 35 to 40 minutes.
Let pork stand 20 minutes. Garnish with pears, apples, and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve with stuffing.
