History

The crostino di fegatini traces to medieval Tuscan banquets, where the inner organs of poultry were considered a delicacy by the Medici court. The combination of chicken liver, anchovy, capers and Vin Santo was canonised by the 19th-century housekeeping manuals of Tuscany. By the early 1900s, every Florentine trattoria opened a meal with the crostini neri (the dark crostini, named for the colour of the spread). The Antinori family's Cantinetta still serves the original Castello d'Albola version with a glass of Antinori Tignanello.

Common allergens: Gluten, Fish

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 20 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 300g chicken livers, cleaned
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 2 tbsp capers in salt, rinsed
  • 60ml Vin Santo or dry Marsala
  • 60ml chicken stock
  • 60g butter
  • 60ml Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt, black pepper
  • Tuscan unsalted bread, sliced 1cm thick and toasted

Method

  1. Sweat onion in butter and olive oil until soft, 8 minutes; do not colour.
  2. Add chicken livers and brown 5 minutes; livers should be barely pink inside.
  3. Add anchovies and capers, stir until anchovies dissolve.
  4. Pour in Vin Santo, let it reduce by half. Add chicken stock.
  5. Tip the mixture into a food processor, pulse to a chunky paste.
  6. Season with salt and pepper; the anchovies salt it most of the way.
  7. Spread thickly on warm toasted Tuscan bread.
  8. Serve immediately with a glass of Vin Santo or Chianti Classico.

Tip from the editors. Some traditions add a beaten egg to the warm paste off-heat; an Italian school of thought. The Florentine version skips the egg.

Where to eat crostini di fegatini

Crostini di fegatini in Florence

Cantinetta Antinori ★ 4.3

Wine bar€€€santa-maria-novellaMon-Fri 12:30-22:30

Cantinetta Antinori in Florence's Palazzo Antinori is the 26-generation Antinori family's wine bar and restaurant on Via Tornabuoni, with a 150-bottle list.

Signature pour: Tignanello by the glass

Wine focus: Marchesi Antinori estate Tuscan reds

Food: Tuscan small plates and tagliere

Order: Crostini misti, tagliere di salumi, a glass of Tignanello.

Tip: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Book the cellar tasting flight (€45) two weeks ahead.

Piazza Antinori 3, 50123 Firenze Book →

Buca Lapi ★ 4.4

Florentine, Bistecca-led€€€santa-maria-novella

Buca Lapi in Florence's Santa Maria Novella has cooked the bistecca alla fiorentina in the Palazzo Antinori cellar since 1880, a candlelit basement of long.

Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Tagliatelle al tartufo, Crostini di fegatini

Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina (1.2kg for two) and the tartufo pasta in season.

Tip: Cash and card; book three weeks ahead. The cellar is hot in summer; ask for the front room.

Via del Trebbio 1r, 50123 Firenze Book →

Trattoria Marione ★ 4.3

Florentine Trattoria€€santa-maria-novella

Trattoria Marione in Florence's Santa Maria Novella quarter runs the unfussy lunchtime carte locals queue for, with the four pillars of Florentine cucina.

Signature: Ribollita, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pappardelle al cinghiale

Order: Ribollita, pappa al pomodoro and the bistecca alla fiorentina by the etto.

Tip: Cash and card; queue from 12:30. Closed Sunday; lunch and dinner both seat at 12:30 and 19:30.

Via della Spada 27, 50123 Firenze

Trattoria da Burde ★ 4.4

Italian€€campo-di-marte

Trattoria da Burde in Florence: italian room. Bus 35 to a 1901 trattoria the working quarter still treats as its own; Friday-night bistecca.

Why locals love it: Bus 35 to a 1901 trattoria the working quarter still treats as its own; Friday-night bistecca dinner is the seating locals book three weeks ahead.

Tip: Lunch Mon-Sat; dinner Friday only. Book three weeks ahead for Friday.

Via Pistoiese 154, 50145 Firenze

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