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Coniglio all’agliata is a Ligurian dish of rabbit braised in white wine and herbs, then served with agliata, a garlicky bread and vinegar sauce that gives the dish its name. The rabbit goes soft and falls off the bone. The sauce stays sharp and rustic, nothing like the smooth emulsified aioli you might expect.
Agliata predates aioli by centuries. Instead of egg to bind it, Ligurian cooks use stale bread soaked in vinegar, pounded with garlic and loosened with olive oil. It’s coarser, punchier, and doesn’t need a whisk.
I braise the rabbit in a covered pan on the stovetop rather than the oven. It’s easier to check on and the liquid reduces exactly how you want it if you uncover the pan for the last stretch.
One thing that trips people up: undercooked rabbit stays chewy no matter how long you braise the sauce. Give the meat the full 45 to 55 minutes and check that it pulls cleanly from the bone before you call it done.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses a whole rabbit and turns it into a Sunday-worthy braise
- Agliata sauce needs no eggs, just bread, garlic, and vinegar
- Braising liquid does double duty as a light pan sauce
- Leftovers reheat well without drying out the meat
Ingredient Notes
- Rabbit: Ask your butcher for a farmed rabbit cut into 8 pieces. Farmed rabbit has a milder flavor than wild and cooks more evenly.
- Stale bread: Use a dense country loaf, a day or two old. Fresh soft bread turns the sauce gluey instead of thick and spreadable.
- White wine vinegar: This is what gives agliata its bite. Red wine vinegar works too but pushes the color and flavor darker.
- Dry white wine: A Ligurian Vermentino or Pigato fits the region, but any dry, unoaked white works fine for the braise.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a decent one for the sauce since it’s uncooked and you’ll taste it directly.
Braised Ligurian Garlic Rabbit, Coniglio all’Agliata
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the rabbit in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden. Don't crowd the pan or the meat will steam instead of browning. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the smashed garlic cloves to the same pan, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Return the rabbit to the pan, add the rosemary, bay leaves, and enough water or stock to come halfway up the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 45 to 55 minutes, turning the pieces once, until the meat pulls easily from the bone and reaches 165 F / 74 C at the thickest part.
- While the rabbit braises, soak the bread chunks in white wine vinegar for 10 minutes until soft, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Pound the garlic cloves with the salt in a mortar until smooth, or blitz in a small food processor.
- Add the soaked bread and mash until combined. Drizzle in the olive oil a little at a time, stirring, until the sauce is thick and spreadable, similar to a coarse aioli.
- Uncover the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking to let the braising liquid reduce and thicken slightly.
- Transfer the rabbit pieces to a warm platter and spoon a little of the braising liquid over the top.
- Serve with the agliata sauce on the side or spooned over the rabbit, scattered with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Don't crowd the pan when browning, work in two batches if needed.
- Use a mortar and pestle for the sauce if you want more texture than a food processor gives.
- Squeeze the soaked bread firmly before mashing or the sauce turns runny.
- Uncover the pan for the last 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the braising liquid.
Tips for Success
- Brown the rabbit in batches so the pan stays hot enough to caramelize the surface instead of steaming it.
- Soak the bread in vinegar, not water, so the agliata keeps a sharp edge that cuts through the rabbit’s richness.
- Check the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer; rabbit is done at 165 F / 74 C and pulls easily from the bone.
- Rest the finished sauce for 15 minutes before serving so the garlic mellows and the texture firms up slightly.
- Buy a farmed rabbit from a butcher rather than wild game, since farmed rabbit cooks more evenly and tastes milder.
Variations
- Swap rabbit for bone-in chicken thighs and shorten the braise to 35 to 40 minutes for a faster weeknight version.
- Add a handful of pitted taggiasca olives to the braising liquid for a briny, more savory finish.
- Stir a tablespoon of chopped walnuts into the agliata for a nuttier, more textured sauce, common in some Ligurian villages.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover braised rabbit in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The meat keeps its texture well since it’s already been cooked low and slow in liquid.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water or stock, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through. A microwave works too, in 30-second bursts until steaming.
Keep the agliata sauce in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The garlic sharpens as it sits, so taste before serving and stir in a splash of olive oil if it’s thickened too much.
Serving Suggestions
Coniglio all’agliata belongs next to something plain enough to soak up the sauce. Soft polenta or grilled country bread both do the job.
A side of sautéed spinach or bitter greens with a squeeze of lemon cuts through the richness. Boiled potatoes tossed in olive oil work too, in the Ligurian style.
Pour a chilled glass of Vermentino or Pigato alongside, both Ligurian whites with enough acidity to stand up to the garlic.
FAQ
Why is my braised rabbit still tough after cooking?
It probably needs more time, not less. Rabbit has more connective tissue than chicken and needs a full 45 to 55 minutes at a gentle simmer to break down and pull cleanly from the bone. Check the thickest part reaches 165 F / 74 C before you take it off the heat.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of rabbit for coniglio all’agliata?
Yes, bone-in chicken thighs work well and pick up the agliata sauce the same way. Shorten the braise to 35 to 40 minutes since chicken cooks faster than rabbit and can dry out if left too long in the liquid.
Can I make the agliata sauce a day before I braise the rabbit?
Yes, agliata keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The garlic actually mellows slightly over the first day, though the sauce may thicken, so stir in a little olive oil before serving.
What goes well with coniglio all’agliata?
Soft polenta, grilled country bread, or boiled potatoes all work since they soak up the braising liquid and the sauce. A glass of Vermentino or Pigato and a side of sautéed greens round out the plate.
Is coniglio all’agliata gluten free?
No, the traditional agliata sauce is thickened with soaked bread, which contains gluten. You can swap in a dense gluten-free country loaf for the same texture, and the braised rabbit itself is naturally gluten free.
What’s the difference between agliata and aioli?
Agliata is thickened with vinegar-soaked bread instead of egg yolk, which gives it a coarser texture and a sharper, more acidic flavor than smooth aioli. It’s older than aioli and specific to Liguria, traditionally served with boiled meats, fried fish, or rabbit.