Antipasto is a beloved Italian tradition, intended to stimulate the appetite before a meal. While cured meats and olives are great for dinner parties, our favourite and most popular Tuscan antipasti in our villas in Italy, are Crostini. Join our resident chef Selene Goretti in the kitchen with her creation of Vin Santo Chicken Liver Crostini, a tantalising antipasti with Tuscany's prized dessert wine.
Chicken liver has a soft tenderness and gamey flavour that isn't overwhelming, both brought to life in this dish. The chicken is flavoured with rosemary, one of the most pungent herbs and so is used lightly for a fragrant flavour. Vin Santo brings sweet perfumes to this dish, balancing the strong herbs and meaty flavours with its taste reminiscent of honey and caramel. The contrast of the crostini's crispy base and its tender topping makes the perfect antipasti or starter.
Vin Santo Chicken Liver Crostini
Makes around 8/10 crostini - cook in 1 hour
Ingredients
- 500g chicken liver
- 1 baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 red onion
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 glass of Vin Santo
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetable broth
Preparation
Step 1
Clean the chicken livers, removing bile and any fat or connective tissue, and finely chop. Peel, crush and finely chop the garlic cloves with the rosemary, before placing in a saucepan with some olive oil. Lightly fry the mixture, add the finely chopped onions and salt, and allow the onions to sweat.
Step 2
On high heat, add the finely chopped chicken liver and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Mix continuously until the livers turn dark brown, and then deglass with a glass of Vin Santo. This must be done on high heat, as it will allow the alcohol to evaporate. Once the Vin Santo evaporates, reduce the heat and add enough vegetable broth to cover the mix. Leave this to cook for another 20 minutes, adding more broth if necessary.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (°C), place slices of baguette on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes until golden, turning halfway through. Once the sauce is ready, season to taste and serve on crostini with your aperitif, or as a starter. Buon Appetito!