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1
Make stuffing: Soak bread cubes in milk in a large bowl until softened, 20 to 30 minutes.
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2
Squeeze out milk, discarding it, then crumble bread into bowl.
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3
Wash chopped leeks well in a bowl of cold water, agitating them to loosen any grit, then lift out and transfer to a sieve to drain.
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4
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
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5
Crumble sausage into skillet and brown, breaking up lumps with a fork, about 3 minutes.
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6
Transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to bowl with bread.
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7
Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet, then saute chopped leek, chard stems, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
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8
Stir vegetables into bread mixture, then cool until warm, about 15 minutes.
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9
Stir remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper into eggs, then stir eggs into bread mixture.
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10
Prepare leek ribbons and chard leaves: Wash leek strips, then blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, 2 minutes and transfer with tongs to a bowl of ice and cold water (reserve water in pot).
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11
Transfer to a colander and drain well, then transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
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12
Blanch chard leaves in water just until wilted, about 30 seconds, and ransfer with a slotted spoon to ice water to cool.
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13
Drain chard leaves in colander.
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14
Make purses: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F Spread 1 chard leaf on a work surface, using smaller leaves to patch any if necessary.
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15
Chard-leaf wrapper should be about 8 by 5 inches (if it's smaller, overlap several small leaves to form a larger wrapper; don't worry if wrapper is larger than 8 by 5).
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16
Mound 1/4 cup stuffing in center, then gather chard up over filling to form a purse and tie closed with a leek strip.
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17
(You have extra strips in case some break.)
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18
Make 19 more purses in same manner.
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19
Oil a 3-quart gratin or other shallow baking dish.
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20
Stand purses upright in dish and drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.
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21
Add broth to dish and cover purses with a sheet of wax paper or parchment, then loosely cover with foil.
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22
Bake purses until stuffing is warmed through and egg is set (cut one open on bottom to check), 35 to 40 minutes.
