Pappardelle Pasta with Rabbit and Sausage Ragu – Hearty Italian Meat Sauce
I’ve been a big fan of Pappardelle, the ridiculously wide pasta ribbons, ever since I first had it at Trigo, a Mediterranean restaurant I worked at in Tribeca. We served it with a lobster and tomato confit sauce, garnished with half of a lobster claw.
Pappardelle is a popular pasta among New York chefs and I’ve worked with it at a few other restaurants; I think part of it is the fact it makes such a cool presentation, those big fat noodles curled up in a bowl with a thick sauce. Pappardelle works very well with meat ragus, such as Bolognese ragu, or the delicious lamb neck ragu served at another place I worked. It’s a big, hearty pasta, and can withhold rich, meaty flavors.
When I saw a recipe for Pappardelle with rabbit and sausage ragu, and read the ingredients – a whole rabbit, Italian fennel sausage, red wine, beef stock, tomatoes, liver (optional), I knew it would be a knock-out, delicious dish. As with most braised dishes, the sauce takes a few hours but is very easy to prepare.
Drink the same red wine you put in the sauce with this pasta, have with it a simple green salad to cut the richness, and you’ll have a very satisfying meal.
Heat & Knives
The Recipe
Source: A Fresh Taste of Italy: 250 Authentic Recipes, Undiscovered Dishes, and New Flavors for Every Day
1 rabbit, fresh or thawed frozen, cut into 8 pieces (about 2 ½ pounds)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
8 ounces Italian-style pork sausage with fennel, casing removed, or 8 ounces ground pork plus 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups canned Italian tomatoes with their juice, chopped, or 2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
freshly grated nutmeg
1 rabbit liver, trimmed and finely chopped (optional)
1 ½ pounds fresh pappardelle or fettuccine
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Brown the Rabbit, Vegetables, and Sausage:
Dust the rabbit pieces with flour and tap off the excess. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. When the foam subsides, add the rabbit pieces and brown them on all sides. When browned, remove the rabbit pieces to a plate. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and parsley to the saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sausage meat or ground pork and fennel seeds to the vegetables. Cook, stirring to break up the chunks, until the meat is browned.
Braise Until Tender:
Return the rabbit to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes, or until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, broth, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rabbit is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the rabbit pieces. Stir in the liver, if using.
Finish and Toss with Pasta:
Remove the rabbit meat from the bones, being careful to discard the small bones. Chop the meat fine and return it to the saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil. Add salt and the pappardelle. Cook, stirring frequently, until al dente, tender yet firm to the bite. Drain and toss with the sauce.
Sprinkle with Parmigiano and serve immediately.
