Tagliatelle con Fegato
One of my favorite things to snack on while roasting a chicken is its liver or 'fegato' in Italian. Incredibly inexpensive and rich in iron, fegato is a true delicacy. Every once in a while I like to incorporate it into a dish with fresh tagliatelle pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 pound very fresh chicken livers
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup whiskey or bourbon (red wine works too)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound fresh tagliatelle or other pasta
Instructions
- Trim any sinew and connective tissue from livers. Cut into small pieces, ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high with 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter. When almost smoking, add livers. Cook 1 minute, turning often, until lightly browned but still pink inside. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add balsamic vinegar, lower heat. Cook 20-30 seconds until livers are medium-rare.
- Turn up heat, deglaze with whiskey. Optionally tilt pan toward flame to flambé. When flames die, add cream and reduce until thickened, about 30-45 seconds.
- Meanwhile cook pasta in salted water (30-45 seconds for fresh).
- Transfer pasta to the liver pan with tongs. Toss over high heat for 20-30 seconds.
- Plate and grate Parmigiano Reggiano over each dish. Serve immediately.
💡 James' Tip
The livers should remain pink and medium-rare in the center — overcooking makes them chalky and bitter. The whiskey flambé is optional but adds wonderful depth.
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