Recipes 

Tuscany Crostino

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Tuscany Crostino

Crostini Toscani is a classic Tuscan antipasto: toasted slices of hearty bread topped with creamy chicken liver pâté. Also known as crostini di fegatini and …

What You Need

  • 350 gr / 12 oz / 3/4 lbs chicken liver (make sure the bitter gall is removed)

  • 50-60 grams / 0.11-0.13 lbs Italian sausage grounded (pork meat with black pepper and garlic,(no fennel, nor chili pepper nor anise)

  • 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 fillets

  • 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

How to do :

  1. 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).

  2. 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 fillets (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.

  3. 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). Adjust with salt if necessary.

  4. 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).

  5. (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!)

  6. Transfer again the patè to the skillet and cook for more 5 minutes, then it’s done!

  7. 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.

  8. Spread a generous amount of cold or warm patè onto each bread slice, arrange them on a platter and serve immediately.

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