A simple tasty way to use up leftover panettone (Italian Christmas Cake) is to use it in stuffing accompaniment for Sunday roast dinner. Big boxes of panettone are a common Christmas leftover in many homes. Those giant sweet dough cakes that look so pretty in their cardboard boxes, never seem to get opened before New Year’s Eve.
Fortunately a bought panettone keeps well into January. I was introduced to panettone by my Italian housemates Anastasia and Marco in the late 90s. Away from home, in a London less foodie than today, they were delighted to discover panettone on sale locally in the Hammersmith branch of Habitat. On chrome metal racks, displayed in a similar fashion to Harvey Nichol’s Food Hall or Carluccio’s, you could choose festive foodie items from overseas and especially Italy. Panforte from Siena in Marco’s native Tuscany, bright red tins of paper wrapped Amaretti biscuits. In many sizes, dangling from ribbon loops, you’d see panettone and pandoro cake. (Pandoro cake would work just as well here).
In those days, panettone looked so exotic and sophisticated. Yet they were inexpensive for their size. I bought one for every family member back home, none of whom had seen them before. Marco told me Italian families grill slices of panettone sprinkled with sugar for breakfast although we tended to eat it as it was or dunk it in trifles.
But today I’m thinking of using up panettone after New Year when many of us will have struck sweet treats from the menu.
My solution is a really easy recipe to use up panettone in stuffing for the Sunday roast. If you’ve got any clementines still knocking about in the fruit bowl you can use those too or any oranges will do. Wash them before chopping the peel to remove any wax on the surface.
I love to pair sweet and savoury food at Christmas – as I recently mentioned in my bread sauce video, I serve my parsnips with dates and drizzle maple syrup over my carrots. So it seems very natural to use a bready cake in post Christmas stuffing recipe although I’d probably draw the line at chocolate panettone! If you’re feeling adventurous to make your own panettone see also my post “Easy panettone recipe that practically bakes itself“.
Slice leftover panettone cake into dice and toss in a bowl with some diced brown bread, onion, tiny diced orange peel and chopped parsley. Add two eggs and stir.
Bake in the oven at 190c / gas 5 for around twenty minutes until golden on top.
And serve – we had ours with roast potatoes and chicken. It was delicious.
Leftover Panettone Stuffing with Orange
Equipment
- Oven dish
Ingredients
- 200 g Panettone leftover Italian Christmas cake
- 2 slices brown bread
- 1 onion medium size
- orange peel or clementine
- 2 eggs
- tbsp flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 / 190c.
- Slice the panettone and brown bread into dice.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the panettone, bread, onion, orange peel (or clementine) and parsley. Add the eggs and mix.
- Decant the mixture into a greased oven proof baking dish.
- Bake for around 20 minutes until golden on top and serve.
Notes
Other leftover Christmas ingredients to try using:
Chestnuts – I prefer the vacuum packed onesCranberries
Chopped nuts
Leeks or shallots
Fruitcake or gingerbread. Why not?
If you like this post why not try:
My easy panettone recipe that practically bakes itself
Unfortunately I have used my panettone already, but what a great idea!
You might get another one over Christmas 🙂
I don’t have a panettone this year (we will be away for awhile so reserves of everything are low) but what a fab idea, Sarah. Pinning etc for later or if I get given one last minute and we don’t make eggy bread with it! And I used to love going into 90s Habitat for foodie adventures too!
Homemade stuffing is one of the things I’ve not really done much. Very rarely, but I have always thought it a step too far for a lazy cook. BUT this one looks so good I am very tempted!
Oh you should! It’s so easy – I always have a supply of dried bread crumbs in jars because I blitz ends of old loaves into crumbs then bake. It’s as simple as adding breadcrumbs to chopped onion, egg and interesting bits. This panettone stuffing is just the glam version!!
I’m a lover of chocolate chip pannetone and it seems to me like the french toast option is absolutely BRILLIANT. Is it just me or does the french toast have a slightly frowny face?
Ha ha yes it does look like a face (the most entertaining meals always do)
What a great idea. This looks delicious!
I love stuffing more than the best at Xmas. This would work so well and must smell so festive. I love sweet combined with savoury too so this is a winner for me!
I think it might be my favourite part of Christmas lunch too.
What a great idea! I’m working my way through a panettone at the moment so I shall certainly keep this recipe in mind 🙂
Perfect for using up the last bits!
I am lucky that my MIL is doing the stuffing so I just have to turn up and eat. I really like this idea though.
Try it out when you get home 😀
Clever idea! am sure the absorbent texture of pannetone must be a great idea for a flavour packed stuffing.
Hope you had a lovely Xmas Sarah. x
Happy New Year Sarah! I have to admit to really not liking Panettone, I find it dry and dull 🙁 However, using it in a stuffing, or as you suggested doing it the Italian way & grilling & sprinkling with sugar could well be the answer!
Janie x
We always have panettone leftover after Christmas, this is a great way to use it up.