Ingredients

• 1 rabbit cut into 8-ish pieces, bone in
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup pancetta (or bacon)
• olive oil
• anchovy paste (small squirt)
• 1 cup diced onion (~1 medium)
• 1/2 cup diced carrot (~ 2)
• 1/2 cup diced celery(~ 2 stalks)
• Pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 1 cup seeded, chopped canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• sage sprigs
• thyme sprigs
• rosemary sprigs
• oregano sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

• Pat the rabbit pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil and brown the pieces, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Transfer to a plate. Cook the pancetta, transfer in with rabbit.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the anchovy and mash it until it dissolves into the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery stirring constantly until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Then add the red-pepper flakes, garlic and tomato paste, stirring for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine, turn the heat to high and boil to burn off the alcohol, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, and herbs. Return the rabbit pieces to the pot, spacing them evenly so they are partly covered by the liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rabbit is falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Turn the pieces at least once.
• Turn off the heat and discard the herbs and bay leaves. Remove the rabbit from the sauce and let cool; then pull the meat from the bones. Shred some pieces and leave others large. Return the meat to the pan and simmer the sauce until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, piece by piece. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Photos