Using a sharp knife cut halfway each liver and remove any yellow fat and the large vein from its center. Place the livers in a bowl with ice water. Rinse thoroughly, place in a colander. Drain, chop finely and keep refrigerated, until ready to use. The Gizzards Place the gizzards in a bowl with ice water, Cut each gizzard halfway and place in another bowl with cold water; get each piece and with your finger remove the grit from inside the gizzard. Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove any trace of sand and place in a bowl with clean cold water. Using a sharp knife cut each gizzard in two parts. Eliminate all edges, slice off the silver outside membrane, remove all fat and put aside only the meaty part which is the muscle. Keep the gizzards in iced water at all times. Place gizzards in a saucepan and add enough water to 2 inches above the gizzards. Cook over a medium heat until it starts to boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and chop finely. Set on the side. Wash working surfaces (including cutting boards), utensils, and hands after touching livers and gizzards.

ALTERNATIVELY
Buy 2 lb. container of chicken livers from a reliable source: they are mostly deveined and avoids lot of work with more or less the same results. Rinse thoroughly, place in a colander. Drain, chop finely and keep refrigerated, until ready to use.

Over medium-high heat, in a 6 quart heavy sauce pot combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped onions, celery and carrots: cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are thoroughly sautéed. Add the livers and gizzards, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown. Add the optional ½ cup of Marsala wine or your preferred wine cook a few minutes until the alcohol in the wine evaporates. Add the tomato paste a little at a time, diluted in 2 cups of water, then stir in the tomato puree and add 2 cups of water. Cook it a few minutes and add the bay leaf, lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer very low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally; at the end check for salt and remove lemon peel and bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a pan 13”X9”X2” with 1 tablespoon of oil, and coat with breadcrumbs. Bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Cook the pasta 4 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta well and return to the pot. Add a few ladles of sauce and ½ of the grated cheese. Pour a ladle of sauce over the breadcrumbs in the greased baking dish and add ½ of the pasta. Cover with some sauce and sprinkle with a handful of grated cheese. Cover with remaining pasta and finish the top layer with left over sauce and cheese. Spread top evenly with breadcrumbs, sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is a golden color. Or serve the fettuccine covered with sauce and with the breadcrumbs and cheese on the side.