Crostini di
Fegatini
Tuscan chicken liver toasts
Toasted bread carries a savory chicken liver spread with softened vegetables, capers and anchovies, a familiar Tuscan starter.
Coarse liver spread on toasted breadLittle toasts,
a savory Tuscan starter.
Crostini di fegatini are small bread slices topped with chicken liver spread, often called crostini neri in Tuscany. The brown topping is savory and rich, with capers and anchovies adding a salty edge. Its texture can be smooth or slightly coarse, depending on the kitchen.
They commonly arrive as part of a mixed antipasto, alongside cured meats or other toasts. The home version below blends cooked livers with softened vegetables and butter, leaving a little texture. Toast the bread shortly before serving and spread it while the topping is warm, so the slices still have some crispness under the soft liver.
Explore by food: Bread, pizza & street food · Fish & seafood · Meat
Let’s make crostini di fegatini.
Makes 16 small toasts for eight starter portions. Cook the livers fully, then blend briefly for a spread with a little texture.
16 small toasts, two per person as part of a starter.
The 35-minute cooking allowance includes the vegetable base and full liver cooking; toast the bread alongside the final simmer.
What you’ll need
- 350 gchicken livers, trimmed of connective tissue and any discolored spots
- 80 gred onion, finely chopped
- 50 gcarrot, finely chopped
- 40 gcelery, finely chopped
- 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 1bay leaf
- 100 mllow-sodium chicken broth, as needed
- 20 gcapers in brine, drained and rinsed
- 4anchovy fillets in oil, drained and chopped
- 40 gunsalted butter
- 320 grustic bread, cut into 16 small slices
- to tastefine salt and black pepper
Keep the finished spread moist enough to spoon, rather than reducing the pan dry before blending. This recipe uses anchovy fillets, not anchovy paste; both liver and fish are part of the topping. Toasting overlaps the final liver cooking.
How to make it
- 01
Cook the vegetables
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot and celery with a small pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until soft without dark edges.
- 02
Cook the livers through
Pat the livers dry and add to the pan with bay. Cook for 4 minutes, turning, then add 50 ml broth. Cover loosely and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring and adding remaining broth in splashes if needed. Check several thick pieces reach 74°C/165°F throughout; continue until they do.
- 03
Make the spread
Discard bay. Add capers and anchovies and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in butter, then pulse briefly in a food processor, following its hot-food guidance, until spreadable but still slightly coarse. Taste before adding salt and pepper.
- 04
Toast and assemble
Toast bread in a dry skillet while the livers finish, turning until crisp on both sides. Spoon warm topping onto each slice and serve promptly.
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