-
1
If time permits, submerge the trimmed livers in cold milk for 30 minutes. Drain and pat completely dry with paper towels. Any residual moisture will cause steaming rather than searing. The livers must feel dry to the touch before they enter the pan.
-
2
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over high heat until it shimmers visibly across the surface. Add the sage leaves in a single layer. They will crisp within 30 to 40 seconds; remove and reserve when they have stiffened and darkened slightly at the edges but have not yet browned. The oil will carry their fragrance.
-
3
Add the livers in a single, uncrowded layer — work in two batches if necessary; crowding drops the pan temperature and the livers will stew. This is where the dish lives or dies: sear without moving for 1 minute on the first side, turn once, and sear 1 minute on the second side. Total time in the pan must not exceed 3 minutes. The exterior should be deeply coloured; when a liver is cut, the interior must show a pink-rosé blush throughout — not grey, not raw. Pull the pan from the heat the moment this is achieved.
-
4
Return the pan to medium heat and deglaze immediately with the Vin Santo. Let the alcohol burn off — the sharp alcohol smell will subside and the liquid will reduce by half, leaving a short, fragrant glaze.
-
5
Add the capers and the anchovy fillets. Stir gently; the anchovy will dissolve completely into the sauce within 1 to 2 minutes, providing umami backbone without a detectable fish note. Taste the sauce — it should read as savoury, slightly sweet from the Vin Santo, and rounded. Return the crisped sage leaves to the pan.
-
6
Spoon the livers and sauce over toasted bread for crostini di fegatini, or toss with freshly drained pappardelle. For a smooth crostini pâté, transfer to a food processor, add a knob of cold butter and a small additional measure of Vin Santo, and pulse to the desired consistency.