Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Livers
- 500 g chicken livers, cleaned and trimmed
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Mushroom Tomato Sauce
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 15 g tomato paste
- 60 ml dry red wine
- 2 g dried oregano
Base & Garnish
- 350 g spinach noodles, dried
- 10 g fresh parsley, chopped
- parmesan cheese, grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 844 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 88 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 788 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 590 mg
- Potassium
- 1069 mg
- Calcium
- 146 mg
- Iron
- 16.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 111 mg
- Phosphorus
- 462 mg
- Zinc
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 348 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 36 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 10.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 2.21 mg
- Niacin
- 15.4 mg
- Folate
- 630 mcg
- Water
- 143 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the cleaned chicken livers thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper. If using flour, lightly dredge the livers and shake off excess.
Heat 30ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add sliced mushrooms to the onions. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to brown, then stir and cook until mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates.
Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Add the crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce gently for 15-20 minutes to thicken flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach noodles and cook according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes) until al dente. Drain and keep warm.
In a separate clean skillet (or after setting sauce aside), heat butter and 15ml olive oil over high heat until butter foams and subsides. Add chicken livers in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan; work in batches if necessary.
Sear livers for 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden brown on the outside but still slightly pink in the center (internal temp 74°C/165°F for full safety, though 70°C/158°F is often preferred for texture).
Toss the drained spinach noodles with a ladle of the mushroom tomato sauce. Plate the noodles, top with the pan-fried livers, and spoon remaining sauce over the top.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To remove the metallic taste some find objectionable in liver, soak the cleaned livers in milk for 30 minutes before patting dry and cooking.
- Be very careful when searing livers; they can 'pop' or explode due to internal steam pockets. Use a splatter screen if available.
- The spinach noodles add a subtle earthiness that pairs perfectly with the iron in the liver; if unavailable, plain fettuccine works, but add a handful of fresh spinach to the sauce.
- Do not salt the livers until right before they hit the pan, as salt draws out moisture and prevents browning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Livers may become tougher upon reheating. Store sauce and pasta separately if possible.
Freezer: 1 month — Sauce freezes well; cooked livers and pasta texture will degrade significantly.
Reheating: Gently reheat sauce in a pan. Warm livers separately over low heat just until hot to avoid overcooking.
Troubleshooting
Livers are dry, grainy, and chalky
Cause: Overcooking
Fix: Chop them up finely and mix into the sauce to create a ragu texture; the sauce will mask the dryness.
Prevention: Cook over high heat for a short time; remove from pan immediately once seared.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from rustic Italian 'Cucina Povera' traditions, where organ meats (quinto quarto) were celebrated. The combination of earthy mushrooms and iron-rich liver with pasta is a classic flavor profile found in various forms across Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
