Name: Crostini with Chicken Liver Spread
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 1 (10 by 5-inch) loaf rustic Italian bread , ends discarded, halved lengthwise and sliced ¾ inch thick; 1 large garlic clove , peeled; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 small onion , chopped fine; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage; Salt and pepper; 1 pound chicken liver , rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed; ½ cup dry white wine; 2 tablespoons capers , rinsed; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

Unlike French liver pâtés, which are smooth and creamy, Italian liver spreads have a chunky texture—their rustic nature is characteristic of the region's cuisine. Variations on flavors abound, but all have a signature salty element to complement the liver. We chose capers over anchovies for this component, preferring their briny bite. White wine (options such as red wine and vin santo overpowered the other flavors of the dish), sage, and onion were welcome additions. Many recipes cook the livers through until they're no longer pink, but we found that they produced a much better spread when they cooked for only a few minutes and maintained a rosy interior; when cooked quickly, the liver retains its soft, creamy texture and a clean, mellow flavor that blends easily with the other ingredients.

Before You Begin

We prefer to serve this spread warm; however, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours and brought to room temperature before serving.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. While still hot, rub each slice of bread with garlic clove; set aside for serving.

Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, sage, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in livers and cook until exteriors are no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add wine and capers and simmer until liquid is syrupy and livers are slightly firm to touch but still have rosy interiors, 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer liver mixture to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, 5 to 7 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread liver mixture on each piece of toast and sprinkle with parsley. Serve.