Bread stuffing with sausage in an air fryer (side dish)

Ingredients:

• 220 g slices of white country bread (about 6 pcs.), cut into 2.5 cm cubes.
• 60 g unsalted butter + extra for greasing the pan
• 220 g raw breakfast sausages (6-9 pcs.), remove casings
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1.5 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• Special equipment: 3.5 l air fryer; round baking dish measuring 15 x 7.5 cm.

Preparation:

1. Preheat a 3.5-liter air fryer to 135°C (275°F). Add the bread cubes to the air fryer basket (it's okay if they're not in a single layer). Fry until completely dry and lightly golden, stirring once, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
3. Add celery, garlic, shallots, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and cook until heated through, about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the bread cubes and warm meat mixture. Stir until the bread is well coated and all ingredients are evenly distributed.
6. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C and grease a 15x7.5 cm round baking pan. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking pan and cover tightly with foil.
7. Place the pan in the air fryer basket and cook until the filling is heated through and begins to darken around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue cooking until the top is crisp and deep golden, another 8-10 minutes.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.
   
   Note
   
   You can assemble the filling in a baking dish up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.