(for 6 servings)
INGREDIENTS
- 100 g dried borlotti beans
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 shallot
- 3 juniper berries
- A few sage leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 350 g chicken livers and hearts
- 1 small glass of Vin Santo
- 1 tablespoon of salt-packed capers, rinsed and squeezed dry
- Anchovy paste
- Toasted bread
- Butter
PROCEDURE
- Soak the borlotti beans for at least twelve hours. Rinse them and place them in a pot with a few sage leaves and plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for about an hour, or until tender.
- Finely chop the celery, onion, carrot, sage, and shallot. Cover the bottom of a medium-sized pan with olive oil and add the chopped vegetables.
Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, then add the chicken livers and hearts, the bay leaf, and the crushed juniper berries. Stir with a wooden spoon and let the livers brown well.
When they lose their dark red color and begin to lighten, an indication that they’re well browned—add the Vin Santo and cook over low heat for about ten minutes. - At this point, add the borlotti beans along with a bit of their cooking water, and let everything simmer for another ten minutes.
Only at the end, stir in a tablespoon of well-rinsed capers.
Pass the livers through a food mill to achieve a smooth yet rustic texture, then return them to the pan over low heat and add the anchovy paste, which will give the crostini the right amount of savory flavor.
Cook for one more minute, and they’re ready to serve.
Tuscan crostini neri—the traditional ones made with chicken livers and hearts—are part of every festive childhood memory I have. They taste like family and comfort, a safe place I like to return to now and then.
As I grew older, I felt the urge to play with the core ingredients. Along with the livers, I added borlotti beans to the crostini sauce. Their color makes them a natural fit, and they gently mellow the flavor, making the dish more approachable even for those who might be wary of the classic Tuscan crostino.