An island off Napoli’s great bay is Ischia. Wild rabbits thrived there once and some still do for a while, before the clever Ischitani sack them, whipping them into old terra-cotta pots, flattering their dry, scant flesh into rosemaried silk.
Ingredients
serve 4
Step 1
Cut the rabbit into 8 pieces. Rinse and dry on absorbent paper towels. In a large terra-cotta or enameled cast-iron casserole over a lively flame, heat the olive oil and sauté the rabbit—cook only those pieces at a time that will fit without touching—browning the pieces well on all sides. Sprinkle on the sea salt and generous grindings of pepper. Remove the rabbit to a holding plate.
Step 2
Add the garlic to the pan and permit it to soften a minute or two, taking care not to let it color. Add the tomatoes, the rosemary, and the wine to the casserole, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Return the rabbit to the casserole, cover it with a slightly skewed lid, and, over a low flame, braise the rabbit for 1 hour.
Step 3
Mash the liver with the vinegar and add to the casserole, blending it well into the sauce. Continue to braise for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 4
Remove from the heat, stir in the basil leaves, and present the rabbit, in its casserole, warm or at room temperature. Should you wish to precede it with pasta, follow the instructions for its presentation on page 71.
