Fusilli with Mushrooms, Liver, and Cherry Tomatoes

Preparation

1. Step 1

   While the pasta is boiling in a large pot of salted water (see preceding recipe), heat the oil in a medium skillet, and sauté gently the mushrooms, shallot, and garlic, just until softened. Add the cherry tomatoes, and continue to sauté 3–4 minutes, until they have released their juice. Cut the liver into fairly small pieces, toss them into the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, because you don’t want the liver pieces to cook. When the pasta is done al dente, transfer it to the skillet with the sauce, and warm the two together, adding some pasta water if the sauce is too thin. Off heat, stir in half the cheese. Sprinkle on the rest just before eating.

2. Variation

   Step 2

   If you don’t have that leftover piece of calf ’s liver, use three or four chicken livers, in which case the livers need cooking. So, after the mushrooms, shallot, and garlic have softened, push them aside in the pan and brown the livers in the hot center of the pan, then break them up and finish cooking with the tomatoes.