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Sicilian-style liver pasta

Sicilian-style liver pasta

Rich, velvety Sicilian-style liver pasta features tender lamb and chicken liver gently simmered with fennel sausage, mushrooms, and red wine, cloaked in a luxurious sauce that envelops glossy tagliatelle. Each forkful reveals earthy depth and Italian warmth.

Preparation time
Less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1–2 hours
Serves
Serves 4
Dietary
Nut-free
Matt TebbuttBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Nutri-Score D

While Sicilian-style liver pasta offers an excellent source of iron, protein, and B vitamins from the liver and sausage, it is higher in saturated fat with Parmesan and double cream, and moderately high in salt. (Estimated Nutri-Score D)

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 200g wild mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 400g lambs’ liver, finely chopped
  • 100g chicken liver, finely chopped
  • 2 fennel sausages, meat only
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 200ml Italian red wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 50ml double cream
  • 400g fresh tagliatelle
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp flatleaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped, to serve
  • 100g Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Method

Sauté the Base

    1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Fry gently for 10 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Add the Meat & Mushrooms

    1. Stir in wild mushrooms, thyme, finely chopped lamb and chicken liver, and sausage meat. Fry for a further 2–3 minutes, breaking up the sausage.

Build the Sauce

    1. Pour in balsamic and red wine vinegars along with the red wine. Simmer and reduce the liquid by half.
    2. Stir in tomato purée and chicken stock. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, for 1½ hours. Taste, season with salt and black pepper, then swirl in the double cream.

Cook and Combine

    1. Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water following packet instructions, then drain well.
    2. Fold the pasta into the rich liver sauce, ensuring each strand is coated.

Serve Sicilian-Style

  1. Divide the pasta between four bowls. Scatter over chopped parsley and tarragon, then finish with a generous heap of grated Parmesan.

Additional Tips

  • Don’t rush the simmer: slow cooking deepens the sauce’s sweetness and makes liver beautifully tender.
  • Check seasoning at the end—liver and Parmesan both bring savouriness.
  • Use a mix of wild and chestnut mushrooms for extra texture.

Suggested Wine Pairing

  • Majestic: Villebois Pinot Noir – A silky Pinot Noir brings gentle plum and cherry notes. Its light body and earthy finish echo the mushrooms and herbs in Sicilian-style liver pasta without overpowering the delicate texture of the liver.
  • Tesco: Finest Nero d’Avola – Sicily’s classic red, with plush black fruit and a savoury, slightly spicy edge. It handles the richness of the liver pasta while matching the sauce’s depth and herbal finish.
  • Sainsbury’s: Taste the Difference Chianti Riserva – This structured red gives black cherry and soft tannin, its acidity slicing through the creamy, meaty sauce and enhancing the Parmesan.

Each of these reds brings the right balance of acidity, freshness, and aromatics, making them spot-on for Sicilian-style liver pasta.

What can you serve with this

  1. Garlic Bruschetta – The crisp toast mops up extra sauce and adds irresistible crunch.
  2. Bitter Leaf Salad – Rocket or radicchio, simply dressed, cuts through the richness of the liver pasta.
  3. Char-grilled Courgettes – Smoky, sweet courgettes work alongside fennel sausage and the creamy sauce.
  4. Lemon-dressed Green Beans – Their snap adds freshness and balances the savoury depth of the dish.

FAQs for Sicilian-style liver pasta

  • Does the pasta taste strongly of liver? The sauce is rich and savoury, with the liver mellowed by sausage, cream, and mushrooms. Even non-liver fans enjoy its depth.
  • Can this dish be made ahead? Yes, the sauce improves with time. Reheat gently and cook pasta fresh to serve.
  • Can I freeze Sicilian-style liver pasta? The sauce freezes well; cook and add fresh pasta after reheating.
  • What pasta works best? Fresh tagliatelle is classic but pappardelle or rigatoni hold the silky sauce too.
  • Are there substitutes for fennel sausage? Try a mild Italian sausage and add a pinch of fennel seeds.
  • How do I avoid overcooking liver? Finely chopped liver cooks quickly in the sauce base—don’t overbrown before simmering in the sauce.
  • Is this dish kid friendly? The wine mostly cooks off, but flavours are grown-up—try using more sausage for a milder taste.
  • Can I make it dairy free? Omit cream and Parmesan, and use olive oil for richness.
  • Can I use chicken liver only? Yes, but a mix with lamb’s or calf’s liver adds deeper flavour.

Nutri-score Health Check

Nutri-Score for Sicilian-style liver pasta is D. Rich in iron, protein, and vitamin A from the liver, benefited by mushrooms and herbs, the score drops mainly due to saturated fat from double cream, cheese, and sausage. Salt and cholesterol are moderately high.

Positive Factors

  • Excellent source of iron and B vitamins from liver
  • Plenty of mushrooms, tomato purée, and fresh herbs

Negative Factors

  • High in saturated fat from double cream, sausage, and Parmesan
  • Moderately high salt

Nutri-Score is calculated from the recipe’s ingredients as a guide; adjust as needed for personal dietary goals.

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