Fegato alla Veneziana and Valpolicella Ripasso

Dear friends of Wine at Wine, once again I bring you a typical dish from my region: Veneto.

Fegato alla Veneziana is known throughout the world for its distinctive flavor that combines liver with onion.

How did this preparation – called in the Venetian dialect figà àea Venessiana – come about?
History tells us it dates back to Roman times, except that the Romans made it with figs to mask the strong smell of liver; the Venetians, however, since figs were not easily available and were also expensive, decided to use white onions, which were cheap and readily available in the area. This substitution gave birth to this typical and flavorful dish.

Ingredients for two people

• Veal liver 300/400 g
• 1 white onion (preferably from Chioggia)
• Olive oil, 1/2 glass
• Butter 30 g
• White wine 15 ml
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley
• Polenta to taste

Preparation

Thinly slice the onion and over low heat in a pan with oil and butter, let it soften slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
After about 10 minutes the onions should be golden (though the time depends on how thinly you have sliced them).
Now add the white wine and the liver cut into slices that are neither too thin nor too thick.
Raise the heat and deglaze, letting everything cook for no more than 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and remove the liver from the heat.

Serve it still hot with two slices of polenta – grilled yellow polenta or, if you prefer, soft polenta – with the cooking juices.
Personally, I prefer the grilled version.

For this dish I recommend pairing it with Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore D.O.C. 2011 by Villa Novare CAV. G.B. Bertani.

Made from uve rondinella and corvina veronese.
It is an intense, complex and enveloping wine, with softness and richness of fruit.
Produced using the technique of rifermentazione del Valpolicella on the pomace of Amarone and Recioto, to which Bertani adds a small portion of semi-dried grapes, giving the wine greater fruit intensity and freshness.
Visually it presents a beautiful deep ruby red.
On the nose it opens with fruit, with hints of plum, cherry, blackcurrant and dark fruits, moving into ethereal notes of spirits, all accompanied by sweet spices of ginger and nuances of chocolate.
On the palate it is immediately intense and full, expressing excellent softness and a good flavor. Also in the mouth: red fruit, with notes of pepper, cinnamon and liquorice, finishing with a savory aftertaste, wild cherry and a slightly spiced touch.

To be served between 18/20 °C

Alcohol content 13.5% Vol.

Definitely a wine to try with this or other preparations based on meats – especially red, but also white – game and grilled meats.

Price at wine shops from €9.00 to €13.00.

I bid you farewell as always, wishing you only the best – BOLLICINE...