Easy Rabbit Ragu
Cook Time
3 hours
Yield
6 servings
RECIPE Ingredients
- Neutral oil
- 1 ea whole rabbit, quartered
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 12 ounces dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
- 1 bouquet garni made with 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs thyme, and 2 sprigs sage
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- Splash of red wine vinegar, to taste
- Chopped parsley, for serving
- Tagliatelle or pappardelle, for serving
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
- Burrata, for serving (optional)
Recipe notes
This traditional Tuscan-style dish is perfect any time of year. To make it, whole rabbit is quartered and slowly braised in wine, stock, and tomatoes to impart rich flavor. Using San Marzano tomatoes makes a difference, as does the choice of a premium Italian pasta for serving. A good crusty bread to sop up the sauce and a bottle of your favorite dry red wine will complete the magic.
RECIPE Preparation
- Heat a few tablespoons of neutral oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat rabbit pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear the rabbit until golden brown on all sides, working in batches if needed, to avoid crowding the pan. Remove the browned rabbit to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté about 1 minute more. Stir in anchovy paste and tomato paste, stirring the vegetables to coat; cook about 2-3 minutes until tomato paste is fragrant and starting to lightly brown.
- Carefully add the wine to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Raise heat to high and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, and bouquet garni. Return the rabbit to the pan, nestling into the vegetable mixture, along with any accumulated juices.
- Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, turning a few times, until the rabbit is fully tender, about 2-2 ½ hours.
- Turn off heat and discard bouquet garni. Remove the rabbit from the sauce. When cool enough to handle, carefully pull the meat from the bones. Rabbit has a lot of fine bones, so take care to remove and discard them all.
- Meanwhile, continue to simmer the sauce until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, piece by piece. Add chopped parsley and a splash of red wine vinegar. Return rabbit meat to the pan. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve ragu over tagliatelle in warmed pasta bowls. Top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and burrata, if using. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Notes: When cooking tagliatelle save a cup of pasta water to thin the ragu, if necessary
