Chef Matthias Merges Barilla Collezione Bucatini with Braised Rabbit & Grilled Rapini

Chef Matthias Merges Barilla Collezione Bucatini with Braised Rabbit & Grilled Rapini
Serves 6
Photo Credit @galdophoto

Ingredients
1 box Barilla Collezione Bucatini
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 whole rabbit (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cleaned and cut
Flour, for dusting
1 cup onions, finely diced
1 cup leeks, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs rosemary
8 oz Chantrelle or other favorite foraged mushroom
Pinch espellette pepper
1 cup tomato, coarsely chopped
½ cup cabernet or merlot wine
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
3 bunches rapini
1 lemon, juiced
Ricotta salata, shaved
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Heat 1 TBS of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat Season rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, lightly dust with flour, and sear until golden brown in color.
Drain fat on kitchen towels and reserve
Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat, add onions and cook untill translucent; add leeks, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms
Season generously with sea salt, black ground pepper and a few pinches of Espellette pepper, to taste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring
Add tomatoes and red wine, and reduce for 1 minute. Add broth, bring to a simmer, season, to taste
Place reserved rabbit into dutch oven; cover and bake for 1 hour; remove and let cool
When meat is room temperature shred meat, removing muscles
Strain remaining liquid from dutch oven and reserve

Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt water and cook pasta according to package directions; drain and shock pasta in ice water; toss pasta lightly with olive oil. Reserve

Rapini
Clean rapini leaving heads and three inch stem attached
Toss with olive oil, sea salt and a pinch of espellette
Over a hot grill, grill rapini over fire until begins to brown; remove and sprinkle with lemon juice; reserve

Plating
In large skillet, add shredded rabbit pieces with reserved stock to lightly cover base of skillet; simmer rabbit
When rabbit is warm, add pasta and cook until hot; remove pasta and cook until liquid is absorbed
Place pasta in bowl and top with rapini and shaved ricotta salada; serve immediately