History

Crostini toscani (also called crostini neri or crostini di fegatini) are the canonical opening course of a Tuscan meal, served before pasta. The chicken-liver paste traces to medieval peasant cooking where every part of the chicken was used; the Florentine version with capers and anchovies appeared in 18th-century cookery books. Forno and trattoria bakers still toast the bread on a wood-fired grill before topping. Trattoria Sostanza (1869) and Trattoria Mario serve crostini toscani as their fixed antipasto; modernist versions at Locale Firenze add port reduction.

Common allergens: Gluten, Fish

Make it at home

Yield 24Hands-on 35 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken livers, trimmed of sinew and pale spots
  • 1 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 anchovy fillets in oil
  • 2 tbsp salted capers, rinsed (or capers in brine)
  • 100ml vin santo or dry Marsala (or substitute brandy)
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 fresh sage leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • Optional: 1 tbsp tomato paste, 100ml chicken stock
  • 1 long Tuscan loaf (pane toscano, unsalted) or rustic sourdough, sliced into 1.5cm rounds (about 24 slices)

Method

  1. Soak the trimmed livers in cold milk for 20 minutes to remove bitterness. Drain, pat dry, chop roughly.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 30g butter in a wide pan. Add onion; sweat 8 minutes over medium-low until very soft and translucent.
  3. Add garlic and sage; cook 1 minute.
  4. Add the livers; turn the heat up to high. Sear 3 minutes, stirring; the livers should be browned outside but still pink inside.
  5. Pour in the vin santo; let it bubble for 90 seconds until reduced by half.
  6. Add anchovies, capers, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to dissolve the anchovies into the mixture.
  7. If using, stir in tomato paste and 100ml stock; simmer 5 minutes.
  8. Tip everything onto a chopping board. Chop with a heavy knife to a rough paste (the Tuscan texture is rough, not smooth; do NOT use a food processor or it goes sludgy).
  9. Return to the pan with the remaining 30g butter; stir over low heat 2 minutes to bind. Taste, adjust salt.
  10. Toast the bread slices on a hot grill or in a dry pan until golden on both sides.
  11. Spread the warm liver paste generously on each toast. Serve at room temperature with a glass of Chianti.

Tip from the editors. Chop cooked livers by hand with a heavy knife; a food processor turns the Tuscan crostino into French pate. Signature texture is rough, with visible pieces.

Where to eat crostini toscani

Crostini toscani in Florence

Trattoria Sostanza ★ 4.5

Florentine Trattoria€€santa-maria-novella

Trattoria Sostanza in Florence's Santa Maria Novella quarter has cooked the same bistecca and butter chicken on a coal grill since 1869. Priced at €€.

Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pollo al burro, Tortino di carciofi

Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina (1.2kg for two) and the pollo al burro butter chicken.

Tip: Cash only; book three weeks ahead by phone. Two seatings at 19:30 and 21:30.

Via del Porcellana, 25/r, 50123 Firenze

Trattoria Mario ★ 4.5

Italian€san-lorenzo

Trattoria Mario in Florence's San Lorenzo has run the working-class lunch counter since 1953 next to Mercato Centrale, with a daily pasta carte at €8 a primo.

Try: Lunch trattoria pasta and meat

Order: Ribollita, pappardelle al cinghiale, a glass of house Chianti for €3.

Tip: Queue from 12:00; lunch-only Mon-Sat. Cash only. Closed all of August.

Via Rosina 2r, 50123 Firenze

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 Cammillo ★ 4.4

Italian€€oltrarno

Trattoria Cammillo is locals send friends here for the crepes alla fiorentina and the masiero family's 1945 white-tablecloth grammar on borgo san jacopo.

Why locals love it: Locals send friends here for the crepes alla fiorentina and the Masiero family's 1945 white-tablecloth grammar on Borgo San Jacopo.

Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday; book three weeks ahead. Cash only, dinner only.

Borgo San Jacopo 57r, 50125 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

I Quattro Leoni ★ 4.3

Florentine Trattoria€€oltrarno

I Quattro Leoni in Florence's Oltrarno is the Piazza della Passera trattoria with a summer terrace and the signature fiocchetti dumplings (pear, taleggio.

Signature: Fiocchetti pera, taleggio e asparagi, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Panna cotta

Order: The fiocchetti pera-taleggio-asparagi, bistecca alla fiorentina, panna cotta.

Tip: Book a terrace table three weeks ahead for summer. Open daily 12:00-23:30.

Via dei Vellutini 1r, 50125 Firenze Book →

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