Spaghetti with Rabbit Ragù, Mushrooms, and Walnuts

Name: Spaghetti with Rabbit Ragù, Mushrooms, and Walnuts
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 rabbit, cut into pieces; as needed Olive oil,; as needed Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano),; as needed Coriander seeds, freshly ground,; as needed Black pepper,; 1 onion; 1/4 cup dry white wine (about 60 ml); Vegetable broth, as needed (not bouillon cubes!); 1 carrot; 1 celery stalk; 1 red onion; 9 –10 oz pioppini mushrooms (250–300 grams); 1 garlic clove; 1 tablespoon butter (about 14 grams); as needed Parsley,; 14 oz dried spaghetti (about 400 grams)

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

Walnuts, eaten by humans since the Neolithic era, are one of the most common nuts, enjoyed raw or cooked. Harvested in September and October, their shape and contents were thought to resemble the human head, and they were believed to help cure ailments of the mind and heart. Walnuts were often given to those suffering from weakness or placed in the pockets of young people to inspire love. They were also considered to have aphrodisiac qualities due to their exceptional nutritional value and energizing properties (one walnut has 45 calories), and their shape was associated with male attributes.

Because the nut is protected by both a shell and a husk, Pliny wrote that walnuts symbolized marital stability. Dedicated to Jupiter and called the “food of the gods,” walnuts were tossed in the air and offered during wedding ceremonies. “...prepare new torches, your bride is being led to you; scatter, oh husband, the walnuts...” (Virgil)

In the Middle Ages, walnuts were used to treat stomach weakness, walnut leaf infusions were recommended for coughs and asthma, and crushed shells were used to relieve toothaches. Under the thick branches of the walnut tree, rituals of witchcraft and magic were performed. In the 7th century, the famous walnut tree of Benevento was cut down by Bishop Barbato to prevent its use in pagan rites. Over the centuries, people believed that walnuts gained magical powers if harvested on the night of St. John.

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

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Ingredients

Serves 4 servings

1rabbit, cut into pieces
as neededOlive oil,
as neededFresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano),
as neededCoriander seeds, freshly ground,
as neededBlack pepper,
1onion
1/4 cupdry white wine (about 60 ml)
Vegetable broth, as needed (not bouillon cubes!)
1carrot
1celery stalk
1red onion
9–10 oz pioppini mushrooms (250–300 grams)
1garlic clove
1 tablespoonbutter (about 14 grams)
as neededParsley,
14 ozdried spaghetti (about 400 grams)

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Steps

1

Clean the rabbit pieces, then season with salt, pepper, and freshly ground coriander. Drizzle with a little olive oil and rub to coat well.
2

Place the rabbit pieces in a hot skillet with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and sear them well. Deglaze with the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the onion, cut into large pieces, and a bundle of fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme). Cook, adding a bit of vegetable broth as needed when it dries out, and turn the pieces occasionally for about 30–40 minutes, depending on the size. Then remove the bones and cut the meat into small pieces.
3

In a hot skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil, the onion, celery, and carrot roughly chopped, and a sprig of rosemary. Sauté slowly until softened, then add the rabbit ragù just to flavor it (do not cook further).
4

Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms. In a hot skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil, a garlic clove, and a sprig of rosemary. Let them infuse for a bit, then add the pioppini mushrooms, washed under running water. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat for a few minutes (they should stay slightly firm). In the last minute, add the butter and chopped parsley, and mix well.
5

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water. In the skillet where you’ll finish the pasta, add the rabbit ragù and walnuts, roughly chopped by hand.
6

A couple of minutes before the spaghetti is done, transfer it (reserving the cooking water) to the hot skillet with the ragù. First, toss to combine, then continue cooking, adding pasta water as needed. When almost done, add the mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil, and toss everything together.
7

Serve and enjoy!