5 from 90 votes
Chicken liver pasta with porcini mushrooms; Recipe from Marche (gluten free)
This chicken liver pasta recipe from Marche combines chopped chicken livers soaked in milk with dried and fresh porcini mushrooms, vegetables, garlic, and cherry tomatoes to create a rich ragu. Served with maltagliati pasta (gluten-free if preferred), the dish features an earthy, deeply savory sauce balanced by the mild acid of tomatoes and the fragrance of parsley and white wine.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Servings:
4
Calories:
680 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mediterranean, Italian
Ingredients
- 360 g maltagliati pasta I used gluten free pasta, or short mafalda pasta
- 300 g chicken liver soaked in milk and then chopped, 10.5oz
- 2 carrot washed and finely chopped
- 2 celery washed and finely chopped, stalks
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 60 g dried porcini mushroom soaked and then chopped, 2oz
- 60 g porcini mushroom cut into pieces or 100g (3.5oz) fresh cremini mushrooms, fresh or frozen
- 300 g cherry tomato halved or peeled canned or fresh sauce tomatoes, 10.5oz
- 1-2 garlic peeled and chopped, cloves
- 1 handful parsley washed and chopped, fresh
- 1-2 bay leaf
- 4-5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt for pasta and to taste
- ½ glass white wine
- milk to soak liver, optional
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Soak the chicken livers in milk for 1-3 hours (optional but recommended) Soak the dried porcini in warm water for at least 30 minutes. Drain the livers and porcini mushrooms keeping the liquid from the mushrooms.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Wash and finely chop the celery and carrots. Chop the chicken liver into small pieces. Cut the frozen or fresh mushrooms into small pieces. Wash and chop the parsley. Peel the fresh tomatoes if using sauce tomatoes with thick skins like San Marzano. If using cherry tomatoes just wash and halve them.
Cup of Yum
Make the chicken liver and porcini ragu
- Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil with garlic and parsley until cooked.
- In a separate larger pan, sauté some of the onion with the bay leaves until onion starts to soften. Then add the chicken livers and brown on all sides quickly. Add white wine and cook until alcohol evaporates ( 1-2 minutes). Remove the liver and juices from the pan and set aside.
- Pour a little more olive oil into the pan and sauté the rest of the onions, the carrots and celery until they start to soften. Then add back the liver and juices. Mix together well. Add the cooked mushrooms and mix again. Then add the tomatoes. Add salt to taste. Cook the sauce over a low heat for about 45 minutes. If it seems dry you can add some of the porcini water, some tomato passata or stock.
Finish and serve
- While the ragu is simmering, put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When ready, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix everything together gently. Serve immediately with more chopped parsley.
Notes
- Soak chicken livers in milk for 1-3 hours to soften them and reduce metallic taste.
- Gluten-free pasta works well but may become soft when mixed with sauce leftovers, so store sauce separately.
- Leftover ragu can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition Information
Calories
680kcal
(34%)
Carbohydrates
99g
(33%)
Protein
29g
(58%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
(55%)
Trans Fat
0.05g
(3%)
Cholesterol
259mg
(86%)
Sodium
98mg
(4%)
Potassium
1160mg
(25%)
Fiber
8g
(32%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
13866IU
(277%)
Vitamin C
37mg
(41%)
Calcium
58mg
(6%)
Iron
9mg
(50%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 680
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 680kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 99g | 33% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 0.05g | 3% |
| Cholesterol | 259mg | 86% |
| Sodium | 98mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 1160mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 13866IU | 277% |
| Vitamin C | 37mg | 41% |
| Calcium | 58mg | 6% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.