The traditional Tuscan black crostini are an appetizer that cannot be missing on festive tables in most of Tuscany. Made with chicken livers, they are almost the essence of traditional Tuscan cuisine, where a delicious dish is created from humble ingredients, worthy of family celebrations. Even at Christmas, it is one of the essential appetizers. Every family has its variation, where the liver flavor may be strong or subtle, and where some ingredients are used instead of others. This is my family’s recipe, which for me has the taste of celebrations and achieves a perfect balance of flavors, ideal for those who fear the strong taste of chicken livers. Preparing them is not difficult, let’s do it together!
Before cooking them together, you might want to take a look at these Tuscan dishes perfect to serve as appetizers
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Tuscany
- Seasonality: Christmas, All Seasons
Ingredients
Among the indispensable ingredients of this dish are onion, liver, and capers. There is a wide variety of choices throughout Tuscany for the rest. In some places, the liver is almost pure, while in others, hearts are also used, butter is omitted, etc. As for the bread to use, I’ve created a dedicated section at the bottom of the recipe!
- 14 oz chicken livers (Without hearts)
- 2.1 oz onion
- 1 oz salted capers (soaked for at least half an hour before and rinsed)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp anchovy paste
- 2 leaves sage
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 7 oz meat broth
- 9 oz Tuscan bread
- 1 tsp fine salt
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Knife bread knife
- 1 Tray
Steps
Clean and slice the onion. The size doesn’t matter, as it will all be blended.
Clean the chicken livers by removing the hearts and white parts. Cut the rest into pieces and place them in a small saucepan.
Add the onion, olive oil, pepper, and a little salt.
Tear two sage leaves and add them.
Place on the stove over moderate heat and start cooking, stirring the livers
While the Tuscan black crostini livers are cooking, keep stirring them with a ladle, mashing them.
After about ten minutes of this process, they will be cooked and crumbly enough. It’s important that there is no more liquid released from the livers.
Pour the livers into a mixer (I use the Bimby) and blend them. The texture depends on personal taste. Some prefer the traditional Tuscan black crostini smooth, blending them well, while others like a bit of rustic texture.
Put the blended livers back into the previously used pot
Add two ladles of broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable, any will work, but each will give a different nuance) and turn on the very low heat.
Drain the capers and blend them in a blender.
Add them to the mixture and cook, stirring often.
Add the anchovy paste and once dissolved, add the butter. If necessary, add a little more broth. Finish cooking and let it rest.
There are essentially two ways to serve Tuscan black crostini. After toasting the bread, you can directly spread the sauce on the toasted bread
Or, alternatively, slightly dip the bread and then proceed as in the previous method.
Arrange the Tuscan black crostini on the serving plate and serve! Now you can enjoy the crostini that are eaten during holidays (and on the most important occasions) in Tuscany
How to Store Tuscan Black Crostini
The sauce of Tuscan black crostini can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for two or three days. Otherwise, it can be easily frozen by placing it in a suitable container in the freezer. Then you just need to reheat it to have it ready again. If you enjoyed this recipe and want to know more traditional Tuscan recipes, follow me on Instagram!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What bread to use for Tuscan black crostini?
The breads most suitable for this type of sauce are Tuscan bread and oil twists, especially for festive days. It should be a compact bread, not airy, with little (or no) salt, as the sauce is very savory.
How can I make Tuscan black crostini less salty?
By increasing the butter and using a little less anchovy paste. This way, the flavor of the chicken liver will come out more.
