The Marchigiano Ragù of giblets and chicken feet is the story of a Sunday morning in our countryside, when the aroma of the soffritto and cloves filled the rooms from dawn. This recipe represents the essence of courtyard cooking, once called “poor” but today celebrated as a treasure of biodiversity and taste.
Typical of the area around Ancona and the inland Marche region, this sauce is not a simple condiment but a ritual. The skillful use of offal (hearts, liver, and the tenacious gizzards), together with the slow cooking of chicken feet, creates a ragù with a velvety texture and deep flavor, made unique by the collagen released only by the feet. Preparing it means bringing back to the table the gestures of our grandmothers and the authentic taste of great classics like Vincisgrassi or hand-rolled tagliatelle.
It is a dish that asks for time, patience, and a good glass of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi to deglaze the meat, offering a sensory experience that smells of home and celebration.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 4 Hours
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Slow fire
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Marchigiano Ragù of Giblets and Chicken Feet
- 18 oz chicken livers (+ hearts, gizzards/ventricles, 4 chicken feet)
- 7 oz ground beef (and pork)
- 1 onion (medium)
- 1 carrot (large)
- 1 celery (stalk)
- 3.5 oz pancetta (or diced cured ham)
- 3 cups tomato passata
- dry white wine (Verdicchio, 1/2 glass to deglaze)
- 2 cloves
- 3 1/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt (and pepper)
Tools for Marchigiano Ragù of Giblets and Chicken Feet
- Casserole
- Cutting Board
Steps for Marchigiano Ragù of Giblets and Chicken Feet
Preparation: Clean the feet thoroughly. Optional: you can simmer the gizzards for 30 minutes before cutting them to make them more tender (save the cooking water!). Cut the rest of the giblets into pieces. You can also grind everything.
The Soffritto: Chop the vegetables with the pancetta (or cured ham) and let them soften in extra virgin olive oil over low heat.
Browning: Add the feet, the ground meat and the gizzards (including those pre-boiled). After a few minutes, add the hearts and the cloves. Finally add the livers.
Deglazing: Raise the heat, pour in the white wine and let all the alcohol evaporate completely.
Cooking: Add the tomato passata. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let it “simmer” over the lowest heat for 3–4 hours, adding a little of the gizzard water if necessary.
Cover and let it cook over the lowest heat (it should just make slow “bubbles”) for at least 3–4 hours. The collagen from the feet will make the sauce thick and velvety..
The finishing touch: As often suggested by the guidelines of traditional Marchigiano cuisine, if you want an even more authentic flavor, at the end of cooking you can add a pinch of marjoram or a grating of lemon zest.
When you see the sauce become dark, glossy and thick, and the meat on the feet beginning to almost fall off the bone, your Marchigiano Ragù of giblets and chicken feet will finally be ready. It is not just a sauce, but a true journey into old flavors, capable of turning a simple plate of pasta into a feast from another time. Serve it piping hot, perhaps accompanied by the feet themselves on a serving plate for the more curious diners: the important thing is to enjoy every bite, rediscovering that genuine conviviality that only our Marchigiano cuisine can give.
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Storage and Grandma’s Tips
Resting is sacred: The giblets and feet ragù shows its best if left to rest. If you prepare it the day before, the flavors of the cloves and offal fuse perfectly.
Storage: In the refrigerator: It keeps perfectly for 2–3 days in an airtight container.
In the freezer: You can freeze it in single portions. When you defrost it, add a splash of water or broth while reheating to restore fluidity.
The Feet: Many use them only for flavor, but for true connoisseurs they are a delicacy to “nibble” at the table. Serve them on a small plate for those who appreciate them!
