Chicken liver cicchetti (fegatini di pollo)
A very old recipe, well worth the effort and it improves with age. This is rich, elegant and intense.
This recipe is an extract from Cucina del Veneto: Delicious recipes from Venice and Northeast Italy, by Ursula Ferrigno (Ryland Peters & Small, £22)
If you like this recipe, why not try more Canapé Ideas from the House & Garden archive?
What you'll need
Chicken liver cicchetti (fegatini di pollo)
Ingredients
Step 1
Trim the fat and gristle from the chicken livers, then rinse, pat dry with kitchen paper and chop finely. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery, shallot, garlic and parsley. Cook for about 10 minutes until soft, stirring frequently.
Step 3
Add the chicken livers and beef and cook over a very low heat until the livers have lost their raw colour and become crumbly. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
Step 4
Increase the heat, pour in the wine and boil to reduce until almost totally evaporated. Lower the heat and add a little salt and plenty of pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry.
Step 5
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/ Gas 4. To make the crostini, bake the ciabatta or country bread slices for 10–12 minutes until crisp and golden.
Step 6
Add the capers and anchovies to the liver mixture. Mix in the butter and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Moisten the crostini with a little extra virgin olive oil, then spread the chicken liver mixture on top. Sprinkle over a little extra chopped parsley, then serve at once.
