Braised Rabbit Ragù with Red Wine, Olives, and Capers
We can’t say it often enough: Rabbit belongs on American tables. It is lean and tasty, high in protein, low in fat and calories, and often raised in a more healthful environment than ordinary chicken, beef, or pork. If you’re at all hesitant, try it in this delicious ragù with tomatoes and red wine. We recommend a hearty Italian or Provençale red—nero d’Avola from Sicily, Tuscan Chianti, or a robust Côtes du Rhône from southern France.
Rabbit ragù is an excellent choice to serve with pappardelle or any other type of wide, flat noodles—southern Italian lasagnette would be another good choice. But it also works well with short, chunky pasta shapes, such as garganelle, cavatappi, or rigatoni.
SERVES 4 TO 6
One 3-pound fresh rabbit, cut into 8 pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed with the flat blade of a knife and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons tomato concentrate or paste
1 cup robust dry red wine (see headnote)
About ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with their juice
1 rosemary sprig
1 small dried red chili pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives, preferably Gaeta
¼ cup salt-cured capers, carefully rinsed and dried
About 1 pound (500 grams) pappardelle, tagliatelle, or similar
Freshly grated grana padano or parmigiano-reggiano, for garnish
Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper.
Combine the carrot, garlic, onion, celery, and parsley, and chop together to make a battuto, a finely chopped mixture.
Whisk the tomato concentrate into the wine to mix well.
Set a heavy-bottomed pot, large enough to hold all the rabbit pieces in one layer, over medium heat. As soon as it is hot, add ¼ cup of the oil and the seasoned rabbit. Brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan. As the pieces brown, remove them and set aside. When all the rabbit has been browned, strain the fat out of the pot and discard.
Lower the heat to medium-low and set the pot back with the remaining ¼ cup oil and the chopped vegetables. Cook gently, scraping up any browned bits, until the vegetables are starting to wilt in the heat of the pan. Then add the wine mixture, raising the heat to boil the wine and burn off the alcohol. Turn the heat down to low once more and add the tomatoes with all their juice. Break up the tomatoes using the side of a long-handled spoon. Return the rabbit to the pan, along with a big pinch of salt, the rosemary, and chili pepper. Cover and cook at the lowest possible simmer for about 1 hour, or until the rabbit meat is so tender that it’s falling off the bone.
Remove the rabbit pieces, reserving the cooking liquid. Pull the rabbit meat off the bones and discard the bones. Also remove and discard the rosemary sprig and chili pepper.
Puree the cooked vegetables with the cooking liquid—do this with a handheld immersion blender for a rough texture or in a food processor for a smoother mix. Combine with the rabbit meat. When ready to use the ragù, gently reheat, adding the olives and capers.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add salt and the pasta and cook following the directions here.
When the pasta is al dente, drain and turn it into a warm serving bowl. Add a ladleful of rabbit ragù and mix with the pasta, then spoon the remaining ragù over the top. Garnish with grated cheese and parsley, and pass more cheese at the table.