Tuscan Chicken Liver Crostini Recipe

 

This is a typical Tuscan starter, particularly during Christmas anyway you can use it to prepare appetizer whenever you want.

 

Ingredients

 

250 g chicken livers

250g chicken gizzard ( ventriglio or durello)

3 sticks of celery

1 onion

1 carrot

1 shallot

1 sprig of rosemary

1 sprig of sage

salt and pepper

150g unsalted butter

150 ml Marsala or Cognac

50g pickled capers ( or salted capers)

1 tbs anchovy paste

1 tbs tomato paste

4tbs Extra virgin olive oil

20 toasted crostini

 

Few notes :

Chicken gizzard : In Tuscan we use this part of stomach to prepare this sauce, you can use only chicken livers but the taste will be a little bit heavy.

I prefer to use Marsala or Cognac, the taste will be delicate anyway usually people use red wine.

In a small pan over medium heat stir olive oil and the thinly sliced onion, cook until they soften up, not so much that they brown, just until they’re completely tender. Add all chopped vegetables, the rosemary and sage, salt , pepper, tomato paste and the chicken livers and gizzard.

Stir constantly  for 5 minutes,  pour the Marsala or Cognac and after 3 minutes cover with saucepan lid  and cook for 2 hours over low heat.

Once finished cooking transfer in a food processor, add anchovy paste and capers, mince thinly, taste and adjust with more salt to taste. Blend until smooth, You will decide to add other anchovy paste or capers.

You can keep this pate in the fridge for few day or in the deep freezer for few months. When you will warm up this sauce melt few the butter then spread the pate across each toasted crostini.

 

 

Serve hot, ideal with white wine with good structure, made from late harvest, fresh, soft and sweet, fruity and spicy.