Advertising

Connect with Firenze Made in Tuscany

Sign up our newsletter

Get more inspiration, tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence

+
Crostini di Fegatini

text Teresa Favi

March 25, 2022

The foolproof recipe for chicken livers croutons

Would you like to rediscover the Florentine tradition in the kitchen with a simple recipe? We will help you with the ingredients and the procedure of the Florentine starter par excellence.

Once upon a time, when people didn't eat with plates and cutlery, gravies, pieces of meat and sauces were served on a slice of bread. This is where the crostino came from. 

crostini di fegatini

HISTORY IN BRIEF

In Florence, the crostino is made with chicken liver pate. The recipe is of Etruscan origin. It was a dish eaten by both peasants and lords, rich and poor alike. Here in Italy it is the starter par excellence, especially at Christmas time.

VARIANTS


There is no such thing as the same, each family has its own recipe, jealously guarded. Some replace white wine with Vin Santo, some add fresh sage, some do not use anchovies, some use spleen together with livers, some soak small slices of stale bread in broth and some add a little tomato sauce to the minced meat.
We suggest the traditional recipe from which to start if you want to experiment with the many variations. It is very easy to make and above all it is foolproof.


THE TRADITIONAL RECIPE


 INGREDIENTS: to make the Tuscan croutons you will need about 350g of chicken livers, available in any butcher's or poultry shop, to be bought always already cleaned, 50g of pickled capers, 1 clove of garlic, 1 white onion, 2/3 anchovies in oil, 100g of butter, half a cup of broth, half a glass of white wine (or Vin Santo), extra virgin olive oil.

Tuscan Bread


PROCEDURE: clean the livers well and boil them in water. Put the oil in a pan and brown the onion with the garlic. Deglaze with white wine (or Vin Santo, if you prefer a milder aftertaste). Separately, chop the boiled livers with the capers and anchovies. Toss the resulting mixture into the browned onion, add a little stock and some butter, then leave to cook for a few minutes until the mixture has become creamy. The ideal way to make the crouton is to use homemade bread from the day before, perhaps toasted in the oven or, for those not afraid of gluttony, dip it in the broth. Traditionally, one part of the bread should be dipped in the cooking juices and then the other part should be coated with the tasty condiment while it is still hot, which should have a spreadable consistency, i.e. neither too firm nor too liquid. 

onion

You may be interested

Samuele Bersani 2022 ph paolo de francesco
What to do this week in Florence and surroundings

Events, exhibitions and appointments not to be missed from 26 April to 1 May 2022

Prodigio. Mestieri d’Arte e Performance
Prodigio. Mestieri d’Arte e Performance. Masterpieces of high craftsmanship, live works and digital performances

Until May 1 at the Fortezza da Basso on the occasion of MIDA 2022, the 86th edition of the International Handicrafts Trade Fair of Florence

Gucci Giardino 25
The best aperitifs in Florence

The top places to drink your favorite cocktail

Candalla
Where to eat well near the woods of Tuscany

4 restaurants with a genuine and sincere taste perfect in every season

Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, what does it mean?

It is the puzzle of many, especially foreigners. But we will explain its meaning, or rather its meanings, which are 3

ristoranti fuori porta pranzo zona gialla toscana firenze
Restaurants out of town near Florence for a lunch to remember

Our top list of the best addresses of taste not far from the city

Cibrèo Ristorante - Helvetia & Bristol Firenze
Easter 2022 in the best restaurants in Florence

Magnificent locations and gourmet menus: here are the best restaurants in town for a memorable Easter lunch

Chef Vito Mollica
Vito Mollica returns to Florence and tells us about his new project Chic Nonna

From 15 April, the Michelin-starred chef will coordinate the food and wine offer of Salotto Portinari Bar & Bistrot, and from June he will be at the helm of the Chic Nonna restaurant.

CAPPELLA BRANCACCI ph. Dario Garofalo
Easter and 25 April in the Florentine Civic Museums and Palazzo Medici Riccardi

From the workshop on the tradition of the Scoppio del Carro to the one on chocolate in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, here are all the cultural proposals for April in Florence

Inspiration

Connect with Firenze Made in Tuscany