Bucatini with Chicken Livers and Cherries

(or Bucatini con Fegato e Ciliege)

Who knew bucatini was so awesome? Apparently, many people did, but I was still stuck in the spaghetti/fettucine world.  Bucatini is a robust, tubular pasta that is longer than traditional spaghetti. It is hollow, allowing maximum absorption of sauce.  A favored pasta for cacio e pepe, bucatini is not something that is found in many grocery stores.  You may need to visit a specialty grocery store or buy it online.  Here is what I bought.  Yes, it is rather pricey.  However, you really don’t need a lot of it to make the dish.

4 servings (with a side salad)

You will need 2 frying pans and a pot to boil the pasta.  Pan #1 will be the larger.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken livers, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 C dried cherries (fresh good as well, but use 1 ½ C chopped in that case)
• 1 C large diced mushrooms (1/2 inch)
• 1 C chopped onion—large chunks (1/2 inch)
• 2/3 C red wine
• ½ C chicken broth
• 4 T garlic
• 3 T honey
• 2 C fresh spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T dried sage or 3 T fresh sage
• 3 T EVOO
• 6 T butter
• 8-12 oz bucatini (plus 4 T salt for the cooking)
• 1 ½ C finely shredded parmesan cheese

Method

• Start your water and salt to boil for the bucatini.   Add the noodles once boiling and boil for 12-14 minutes depending upon your liking.  Keep checking.
• Sauté onions, cherries, and mushrooms in EVOO in pan #1.  Once those are half cooked, add broth, wine, salt and pepper, and honey.  Let continue reducing.
• Meanwhile, in pan #2, add 3 T butter.  When hot, add chicken livers, cook for 3 min.  Toss, then add garlic and fresh spinach.  Cook long enough to get garlic sauteed and spinach wilted—about 1-2 minutes.
• Then add all the above to pan #1, which should be now reduced to a gravy like consistency. Take off the burner and add the remaining 3T butter.
• Remove bucatini from pot with tongs and add to the pan of sauce/liver/cherries.  Stir around. (If the sauce is too thick, you can add some broth or water from the bucatini cooking pot.)
• To serve, put into large bowls, top with cheese, sprinkle with sage.