Pappardelle Al Coniglio Recipe
Beer-Braised Rabbit - Roasted Garlic - Fresh Herbs - Pomodoro Sauce
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Ingredients
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Rabbit & Braise
Pomodoro Finish & Herbs
Pappardelle & Finish
Roasting Garlic (optional prep)
Method
Roasting Garlic (optional prep)
- 1
Roast garlic
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Trim tops off garlic heads to expose cloves. Place on foil or in a small baking dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt, wrap loosely with foil and roast 35–40 minutes until soft and caramelized. Let cool, then squeeze out cloves and set aside (you will need about 6 cloves).
Rabbit & Braise
- 2
Prepare rabbit
Pat rabbit pieces dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine flour, 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge rabbit pieces in the flour, shaking off excess.
- 3
- 4
Sweat aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery to the pot; cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic cloves and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- 5
Deglaze & add liquids
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in 500 ml beer to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Allow beer to reduce slightly, 2–3 minutes. Return rabbit to pot. Add 500 ml chicken stock, 800 g crushed tomatoes, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves. Add 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 6
Braise
Cover partially with lid (leave a small gap) and braise in the oven at 160°C (325°F) or on stove at a gentle simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until meat is tender and pulling from the bone.
- 7
Remove rabbit & reduce sauce
Carefully transfer rabbit pieces to a sheet tray. Skim excess fat from the braising liquid if needed. Place the pot over medium-high heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens slightly, about 12–18 minutes, concentrating flavors. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 8
Shred meat
When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and most bones. Reserve 400 ml of the reduced braising liquid for tossing with pasta; reserve any extra for another use.
Pomodoro Finish & Herbs
- 9
Make pomodoro base
In a sauté pan over medium heat add 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Add the roasted garlic cloves (squeezed from their skins) and lightly mash with the back of a spoon. Pour 200–250 ml of the reduced braising sauce into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer 4–6 minutes to marry flavors. Remove and discard woody herb stems and bay leaves if still present.
- 10
Add fresh herbs & season
Stir in chiffonaded basil and 2 tbsp chopped parsley, then season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm over very low heat.
Pappardelle & Finish
- 11
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 400 g pappardelle according to package instructions until al dente (usually 7–10 minutes for dried). Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- 12
Assemble
Return the pomodoro-herb sauce to a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shredded rabbit and stir to warm through. Add the cooked pappardelle and 400 ml reserved braising liquid (as needed) and toss gently to combine. If the sauce seems tight, add up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved pasta water to loosen and coat the pasta evenly.
- 13
Finish & serve
Off the heat, stir in 2 tbsp cold butter in cubes and 3/4 cup grated cheese until glossy and emulsified. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add 1/2 tsp lemon zest if desired to brighten. Plate pappardelle topped with additional chopped parsley, extra grated cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.