Papperdelle Alla Lepre

Who: Chefs Alex Meyer & Luci Giangrandi

Instagram: @BoiaDeRestaurant

Alex & Luci’s Guest-Worthy Recipe: Pappardelle Alla Lepre

Why?  “The hearty dish features slow-cooked rabbit, rosemary, and tomato, perfect for a last send-off to the cold months.”

Ingredients:

For the braise:

1 rabbit, legs and bellies separated (or just the legs purchased from the butcher)

1 onion, large cut

1 peeled carrot, large cut

2 celery stalks, large cut

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 c white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)

1 tsp tomato paste

Chicken stock

To finish (one serving):

Egg yolk pappardelle (store bought or homemade)

1/2 c of the picked rabbit meat

1/2 c of the reduced cooking liquid

1 Tbsp simple tomato sauce

5 thinly sliced pieces of garlic

1 1/2 tsp chopped parsley

1 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

1/4 c and 1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 c grated Parmesan

Directions:

For the braise:

Sear the legs and bellies in a Dutch oven with canola oil until golden on both sides. Remove the rabbit and add the chopped vegetables and garlic. Roast until they begin to color. Add the rosemary until fragrant, then add the tomato paste, stirring to coat the vegetables. Add white wine and cook until almost dry. Add the rabbit back to the pot, and just cover with chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, and drop the heat to very low so the liquid is moving and steaming. Cover and cook for two hours. The meat should come off the bone with little effort but not be so cooked that it shreds apart.

Allow the rabbit to cool in the cooking liquid. Then, pick the meat into a separate container and strain the remaining liquid. Reduce by 75 percent.

To finish (one serving):

Add a quarter-cup of olive oil and the sliced garlic to a heated pan. Once the garlic is sizzling, add a teaspoon each of chopped parsley and rosemary. Allow the herbs to sizzle, then add the cooking liquid and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Add the picked meat and cook together until a ragù forms and the liquid starts to look like a loose sauce. Drop in your cooked pappardelle, bring back to boil, and toss together. Finish with a half-teaspoon of fresh herbs, one tablespoon of olive oil, and Parmesan. Toss it all together to combine and serve, finishing with a little more Parmesan and olive oil on top.