CookEat Recipe
Pappardelle with Rabbit Braising Sauce
Wide noodles dressed with the tomato-rich juices of rabbit braised with liver, pancetta and vegetables; the rabbit is served separately.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 1 food-grade rabbit, about 1.2 kg, professionally cleaned and cut into large braising pieces, with its liver reserved; 25 g butter for browning, plus 20 g for finishing; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 50 g pancetta; 1 onion; 1 celery stalk; 1 carrot; 2 tablespoons parsley; 300 ml plain tomato passata, or 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in 300 ml water; About 500 ml water, with extra if needed; 500 g pappardelle or wide ribbon pasta; 60 g grated Parmesan; Salt and black pepper to taste.
Step 2
Keep the prepared rabbit and liver refrigerated until needed. Pat dry rather than washing raw meat. Put the rabbit pieces in a heavy pan over moderate heat to release moisture; drain away the released liquid carefully without splashing. Let the meat surface dry in the pan.
Step 3
Finely chop the liver, pancetta, onion, celery, carrot and parsley. Add to the rabbit with the first 25 g butter and the olive oil. Season and cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned.
Step 4
Add the passata, or diluted paste, and the water. Cover partly and simmer gently until the rabbit is tender, about 60–90 minutes, and both meat and liver-containing sauce reach at least 74°C. Add hot water as needed to keep enough braising liquid to dress the pasta.
Step 5
Stir in the final 20 g butter. Lift out the rabbit pieces and reserve with a little sauce for the accompanying course. Check the pasta sauce carefully for stray bones and remove any found.
Step 6
Boil the pappardelle in salted water until just tender, following the package time. Drain and dress with the rabbit braising sauce and Parmesan. Serve the rabbit separately.
Step 7
For the source rabbit-only alternative, omit the pasta, Parmesan and pancetta. Braise the rabbit with the same liver, vegetables, fats and tomato, using only enough water to keep it moist, and serve as a meat dish.
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