Receta The Best Tuscan Chicken Liver Crostini
Chicken Liver Crostini, in italian Crostini di Fegatini (pron. cross-T-knee D fay-guh-T-knee) or Crostini Toscani (slices of toasted bread with a rich and flavourful chichen liver patè), is the most classic and traditional dish you can find in Tuscany, usually served as appetizer. Every family or Trattoria has its own recipe but I had this one from a dear Tuscan friend of my parents in law and I think it’s the best I have ever eaten, so it’s a keeper!
Well, all the recipes I write here in this blog are what I consider the best version of traditional recipes, but this is a recipe you REALLY have to make because it’s ABSOLUTELY delicious, especially if you’ve been to Tuscany and have fallen in love with this Crostini.
As I’ve already told you in a recent post, I don’t like eating any kind of liver except these two recipes in which liver is treated in a way that the bitter and “strange” taste goes away, so this recipe can be delicious for everyone and you could consider to put this patè into some mason jars (sterilized and vacuum sealed) as an original gift for anyone you care about.
Tuscan Chicken Liver Crostini
Difficulty: easy
Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 70 minutesYield: ≈20-40 crostini (it depends on the size of the toasted bread)
Ingredients:
- 350 gr / 12 oz / 3/4 lbs chicken liver (make sure the bitter gall is removed)
- 1/2 north italian sausage grounded (pork meat with black pepper and garlic, not fennel, nor chili pepper nor anise) about 50-60 grams / 0.11-0.13 lbs
- 75 gr / 3 oz ground quality beef or veal (94% lean if possible)
- 15 gr / 0.50 oz anchovies paste (1/4 tube) or 4 filets
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 big sage leaves (or 4 little)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cup soffritto vegetables (50%onion, 25%celery, 25%carrot), finely chopped
- 2 1/2 tbsp vinegar-brined capers, well-drained (if you have salt-packed capers soak them in cool water for about 15 minutes rinsing them in several changes of water or they will be too salty)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 tbsp parsley
- lemon zest of 1/2 lemon (just the yellow part) or few drops of lemon essential oil (organic)
- 2 1/2 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
- salt to taste
thin slices of bread
Instructions:
Clean chicken livers and make sure the bitter gall is removed.
In a skillet over medium heat add butter and sage. Add chicken livers, salt to taste and sauté until brown. Remove from heat.
In a large and heavy skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add soffritto vegetables (onion, celery and carrot) and sauté for a minute or two (pay attention not to brown them).
Add ground meat and let it brown few minutes, stirring when necessary. Add white wine, stir a little bit and when it’s reduced add anchovies paste or anchovies filets (in that case mash them with a fork) and capers.
At this point you may think that there are too much capers in there, but don’t worry because when everything is cooked and mashed you won’t feel any.
Add lemon zest, parsley and the cooked chicken livers (along with their juices and sage).
Turn down to a simmer and leave to cook, half-covered with a lid, for about 1 hour (if the meat dry too much add some water).
Turn down to a simmer adding water if necessary.
Adjust with salt if necessary.
Now you have two choices: put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth or, according to tradition, cut everything with a knife or use a meat grinder helping you with vinegar (add vinegar even if you use a food processor).
(As you can see from the pictures below I used a food processor because you know I don’t have so much time…. and above all my husband couldn’t wait to eat it!)
Transfer again the patè to the skillet and cook for more 5 minutes, then it’s done!
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C, then switch it to the broil setting (switch on the grill). Bake bread slices until crisp and golden (few minutes) turning them once halfway.
You can use stale bread instead of toasting it, the important is that it has to be dry.
Spread a generous amount of cold or warm patè onto each bread slice, arrange them on a platter and serve immediately.
Some people like to soak the bread with hot broth and then spread with patè (I’ve never found that in a Trattoria), but I prefer hot toasted Crostini with warm patè.
Mmmmmmm yummy!!!!
Your chicken liver patè can be stored:
- into sterilized and vacuum sealed mason jars at room temperature for several months (avoid sunlight);
- into glass jars and in the freezer for a couple of months;
- into glass jars and in the fridge for a couple of days (a few more if the surface is covered with extra virgin olive oil).
Did I tell you I absolutely love this perfect Chicken Liver Crostini recipe??? Did I tell you to try it??? Nooooo? Then HAVE a try!!!! It’s delicious!
Remember… “home-made strikes back!”