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Braised rabbit pieces on a ceramic platter topped with garlicky agliata sauce and fresh parsley on a wooden table

Braised Ligurian Garlic Rabbit, Coniglio all'Agliata

Rabbit pieces braised in white wine and rosemary until fork-tender, served with a garlicky bread and vinegar sauce in the Ligurian style.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian (Ligurian)
Calories: 435
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the rabbit
  • 1.2 kg rabbit, cut into 8 pieces bone-in, ask your butcher to cut it
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves smashed, skin left on
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 200 ml water or chicken stock to top up the braise
For the agliata sauce
  • 100 g stale country bread crusts removed, torn into chunks
  • 60 ml white wine vinegar
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled
  • 70 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped optional garnish

Method
 

Brown and braise the rabbit
  1. Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the heat to medium, add the smashed garlic cloves to the same pan, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
Make the agliata sauce
  1. While the rabbit braises, soak the bread chunks in white wine vinegar for 10 minutes until soft, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
  2. Pound the garlic cloves with the salt in a mortar until smooth, or blitz in a small food processor.
  3. 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.
Finish and serve
  1. Uncover the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking to let the braising liquid reduce and thicken slightly.
  2. Transfer the rabbit pieces to a warm platter and spoon a little of the braising liquid over the top.
  3. 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.