15 C
New York
Sunday, October 26, 2025

Buy now

Bucatini Pasta with Braised Rabbit Ragu from Ischia – The Pasta Venture


Bucatini with braised rabbit ragu.

Bucatini con coniglio all’Ischitana

The primary time I ate pasta with braised rabbit wasn’t really in Italy, however on the Mediterranean island of Malta. There, rabbit is a really conventional meals, normally served with spaghetti and/or as a primary course. The Maltese typically begin with pasta dressed with the sauce from braised rabbit. Then they’ve the items of rabbit with chips and greens after!

I lately found that just about the very same custom exists on the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples in Campania. Though the recipe for cooking the rabbit in Malta is totally different to how they make it in Ischia, each are scrumptious!

Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu.Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu.

Rabbits on the island of Ischia.

Apparently rabbits had been launched to the island by the Phoenicians and shortly grew to become an necessary meals supply for the islanders. Initially the rabbits had been wild, however in time the islanders began to farm them.

The standard solution to breed rabbits in Ischia is to allow them to stay in a semi-wild setting in ditches with slender tunnels. These tunnels run 3 or 4 metres underground and the rabbits dig them themselves. Rabbits bred with this technique are referred to as “Conigli di fossa” (that means  ‘ditch or cave rabbits’).

Right now ditch or cave rabbit is a Gradual Meals presidium.

Ingredients for braised rabbit ragu: rabbit pieces, cherry tomatoes, garlic, white wine, flour, fresh rosemay and thyme and chili flakes.Ingredients for braised rabbit ragu: rabbit pieces, cherry tomatoes, garlic, white wine, flour, fresh rosemay and thyme and chili flakes.

Coniglio all’ischitana.

The oldest and most well-known recipe for cooking rabbit on Ischia known as, unsurprisingly ‘coniglio all’ischitana’ (that means Ischian rabbit). This dish, which is taken into account the signature dish of Ischian cusine, includes braising or stewing rabbit items in wine with herbs and tomatoes.

On Ischia, the rabbit braising sauce is historically served with bucatini pasta as a primary course (primo piatto). The rabbit items are then eaten afterwards together with fried potato slices.

Nonetheless, quite a lot of Italian recipes I discovered additionally recommend including among the rabbit meat to the sauce to provide it extra physique and serving the pasta together with further items of rabbit in case you’re not planning to have a second course. That is what I did.

Halved cherry tomatoes and peeled garlic cloves in glass bowl.Halved cherry tomatoes and peeled garlic cloves in glass bowl.
Step 2

Elements for braised rabbit ragu.

Rabbit: You should utilize a complete rabbit which you will want to joint your self or ready-jointed rabbit items. Even simply rabbit legs work effective.

Aromatics: This recipe requires garlic, purple chili flakes (peperoncino) and recent parsley, rosemary and thyme or marjoram. You should utilize dried herbs as a substitute and depart the chili out in case you desire.

Cherry tomatoes: Use deep purple ripe tomatoes for the very best taste. If recent cherry tomatoes aren’t obtainable, different small tomatoes like datterini are excellent too. Alternatively, canned peeled cherry tomatoes are a great substitute.

White wine: The rabbt items have to be marinated in white wine for a minimum of a few hours earlier than making the rabbit ragu. I used a Soave wine from the realm I stay in however any dry white wine works.

Flour: All you want is a bit white gentle wheat flour to roll the rabbit items in earlier than frying them. I used Italian ‘oo’ flour. All objective flour is ok as a substitute.

Different elements

Aside from the abovementioned primary elements, this pasta with braised rabbit ragu requires salt (for pasta cooking and seasoning), olive oil to prepare dinner the rabbit and black pepper to season the completed sauce.

Browned rabbit pieces in deep skillet  with wine being added.Browned rabbit pieces in deep skillet  with wine being added.
Step 4

What pasta do you have to use?

As I discussed earlier than, this pasta with rabbit dish is generally served with bucatini. For individuals who don’t realize it, bucatini is an extended pasta similar to spaghettoni, that means giant spaghetti, however bucatini is hole. which

Some Italians say bucatini is a good pasta for hearty or creamy sauces because the sauce really will get contained in the pasta strands. I’m undecided that the sauce actually will get inside, until you suck the bucatini like a straw (sure! you may, however be warned it’s messy!)

After all, you too can use different pasta. Lengthy sorts comparable to spaghetti or bigoli would work effectively, as would ziti which can be hole, or brief pasta comparable to fusilli or penne.  

Dried bucatini pasta from La Molisana.Dried bucatini pasta from La Molisana.

Rabbit meat is sweet for you.

My hubby isn’t a fantastic fan of rabbit however he devoured this dish! I personally like rabbit. It’s a ‘wholesome’ meat, low in fats, excessive in protein (greater than beef or rooster) and has a excessive focus of iron and different minerals. As well as, it’s low in energy and when cooked effectively rabbit might be actually tender and engaging (like on this pasta with braised rabbit recipe!!)

Halved cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs added to rabbit pieces cooking in deep skillet.Halved cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs added to rabbit pieces cooking in deep skillet.
Step 5

Step-by-step directions for pasta with braised rabbit.

1) Marinate the rabbit items in 200ml white wine for a minimum of 2 hours or in a single day. Then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper ( I additionally added some rosemary and thyme to the wine). Subsequent roll the rabbit in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

2) Wash the tomatoes and halve them. Peel the garlic cloves and wash the recent herbs. Contemporary sprigs of rosemary and thyme or marjoram might be saved complete, the parsley must be chopped.

3) Warmth the olive oil in a heavy backside skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and peperoncino and sauté for a minute or two till the garlic is evenly golden. Then add the floured rabbit items.

4) Fry the rabbit on each side till golden brown, then take away the garlic cloves and add some white wine. Permit the alcohol to evaporate a bit after which cowl and simmer the rabbit within the wine for quarter-hour over a medium warmth. Flip the rabbit items and proceed to simmer coated for one more quarter-hour.

NB You should utilize wine from the marinade however I desire so as to add recent wine.

5) Add the cherry tomato halves, thyme or marjoram and rosemary, plus salt and pepper to style and proceed cooking uncovered for a couple of minutes till the tomatoes begin to soften.

Ready braised rabbit in deep skillet.Ready braised rabbit in deep skillet.
Step 6

6) Cowl and let prepare dinner till the meat is completed (one other 15-20 minutes), including a bit extra wine as essential to maintain it from drying out and to acquire a pleasant sauce for the pasta.

Cook dinner the pasta, end and serve.

7) Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt as soon as it begins to boil and convey to a boil once more.

Cooked braised rabbit pieces in glass bowl and rabbit meat in sauce in deep skillet.Cooked braised rabbit pieces in glass bowl and rabbit meat in sauce in deep skillet.
Step 8

8) Take away the rabbit items from the pan to a plate and both maintain all of it heat to serve individually with potatoes, or take away the meat from half or among the rabbit items, chop it finely and add again into it the sauce.

9) Cook dinner the bucatini al dente based on the directions on the packet. When prepared, save a cup of the cooking water and drain.

Bucatini mixed with braised rabbit ragu in deep skillet with fresh parsley sprinkled on top.Bucatini mixed with braised rabbit ragu in deep skillet with fresh parsley sprinkled on top.
Step 10

10) Add among the pasta cooking water to the sauce if it appears dry then add the bucatini pasta and blend all the things collectively effectively in order that the pasta will get coated within the sauce. Lastly add the chopped recent parsley.

Serve instantly with further items of rabbit in case you aren’t planning one other course or to make use of the cooked rabbit one other time.

Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu on white plate with whole rabbit piece on the side.Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu on white plate with whole rabbit piece on the side.

What to do with leftovers.

When you have leftover bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu you may maintain it in an air-tight container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat leftovers within the microwave or bake them with a sprinkling of pecorino on prime.

Leftover braised rabbit items might be frozen in a freezer pleasant container for as much as 3 months. defrost earlier than reheating.

Let me know what you suppose.

Should you like consuming rabbit, you’ll love this recipe. Should you’ve by no means tried rabbit and wish to, I believe this could be a fantastic dish to begin with. Do let me know in case you do that Ischian bucatini pasta with braised rabbit recipe. You may write a remark right here on the weblog, e mail me or touch upon the Pasta Venture Fb web page. I might love to listen to from you.

Buon appetito!

Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu.Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit ragu.

Bucatini pasta with braised rabbit all’ischitana

Jacqui

A wealthy and scrumptious pasta with braised rabbit ragu recipe from the island of Ischia.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook dinner Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Whole Time 2 hours

Course Primary Course

Delicacies Campania, Italian, Southern Italian

Servings 4

Energy 773 kcal

Elements 

 

  • 2.2 kilos rabbit (reduce into items)
  • 3-4 garlic cloves peeled
  • 10 flozs white wine
  • 1 small recent purple chili pepper or dried flakes (elective)
  • 1 sprig rosemary leaves faraway from stem
  • 1 tablespoon recent thyme or marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
  • salt for pasta and to style
  • black pepper to style
  • 14 ounces bucatini pasta
  • all objective flour for flouring rabbit items
  • 3-4 tablespoon further virigin olive oil
  • 14 ounces cherry tomatoes reduce in half

Directions 

  • Wash the rabbit items and take away liver and kidneys and put aside (you probably have them). Marinate the rabbit in 250ml white wine for two hours or in a single day. Then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper ( I additionally added some thyme and rosemary to the wine).

  • Wash and reduce the tomatoes in half.. Wash and chop the herbs and peel the garlic. (sprigs of recent herbs will also be left complete)

  • Warmth the olive oil in a heavy backside iron skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and peperoncino flakes and saute for a minute or two till the garlic is evenly golden.

  • Flour and season the rabbit items, add them to the pan and brown. Flip and brown them on the opposite facet.

  • As soon as the rabbit is properly golden brown on each side, take away the garlic and add extra white wine. Permit the alcohol to evaporate a bit after which cowl and simmer the rabbit within the wine for quarter-hour. Flip the rabbit items and proceed to simmer coated for one more quarter-hour.

  • Add the cherry tomato halves, thyme or marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper to style. Plus the rabbit liver and kidneys you probably have them. Proceed cooking uncovered for a couple of minutes till the tomatoes begin to soften. Cowl and proceed to prepare dinner till the meat is completed (one other 15-20 minutes), including a bit extra wine as essential to maintain it from drying out and to acquire a pleasant sauce for the pasta.

  • Within the meantime, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt as soon as it begins to boil and convey to the boil once more.

  • As soon as the meat is cooked, take away it from the pan to a plate and maintain half heat to serve individually with potatoes. Take away the meat from the opposite half of the rabbit items, chop it finely and add it again into the sauce. 

  • Cook dinner the bucatini pasta al dente based on the directions on the packet. When prepared, save a cup of the cooking water and drain.

  • Reheat the sauce, including among the pasta cooking water if it appears dry then add the bucatini and blend all the things collectively effectively in order that the pasta will get coated within the sauce. Lastly sprinkle with chopped recent parsley.

  • Serve instantly with some further items of rabbit in case you aren’t planning one other course or to make use of the remainder of the braised rabbit one other time. 

Forestall your display screen from going darkish

Notes

Cooking and preparation occasions do not embrace the time for marinating the rabbit.
This dish is historically served with bucatini however you too can use spaghetti or brief pasta comparable to penne or fusilli.
Leftover bucatini with rabbit ragu might be saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days and reheated within the microwave or oven. I really like baking these leftovers with some pecorino grated on prime.
Leftover braised rabbit items might be frozen for as much as 3 months. Defrost earlier than reheating.
 

Diet

Energy: 773kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 69gFats: 18gSaturated Fats: 3gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated Fats: 9gLdl cholesterol: 202mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 1437mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 676IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 10mg

Key phrase bucatini recipe, rabbit, rabbit ragu

Different pasta with recreation recipes to strive.

Pin for later.

Verticle Pinterest image for braised rabbit ragu recipe from Ischia.Verticle Pinterest image for braised rabbit ragu recipe from Ischia.

Reader Interactions



Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles