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Meat, Italy

Ischitana style rabbit with bread

Ischitana style rabbit is a braised rabbit dish cooked in a pot with tomatoes, white wine, garlic and basil, originally from the island of Ischia. It serves 4 and takes 1 hour 40 minutes, with medium difficulty, at €4.10 per serving. The key to success is a very gentle, covered simmer that tenderizes the meat until it falls off the bone.

This is Ischitana style rabbit, braised in a pot with tomatoes, white wine and basil just like on the island of Ischia, with bread for mopping up the sauce.

Ischitana style rabbit with bread
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.10
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

Ischitana style rabbit fills the kitchen with the smell of tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil, with a little kick from the red pepper flakes that wakes everything up. Simmered slowly under a lid, the meat turns tender and pulls away from the bone on its own. The white wine, cooked off early on, adds a light acidity that balances the sweetness of the crushed cherry tomatoes.

This is the kind of dish to plan for a Sunday, when you have time to let it simmer without rushing, or to serve friends around a steaming pot set right on the table. The garlic toasted bread, dipped into the sauce, is almost as satisfying as the rabbit itself. Mon Chou slots this one into your week whenever rabbit and good tomatoes are in season.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rabbit, cut into pieces 1.3 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cherry tomatoes 400 g
  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Basil 8 sprigs

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Red pepper flakesoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the rabbit pieces in the oil with the garlic cloves left unpeeled. 10 min

    Keep the garlic cloves whole, they flavor the dish without burning.

  2. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate for a few minutes.

    The wine should lose its alcohol smell before you move on to the next step.

  3. Add the cherry tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes and half the basil. 5 min

    Crush a few cherry tomatoes so they release their juice.

  4. Cover and let it simmer over very low heat. 1 h

    Don't lift the lid too often, the steam does the work.

  5. Scatter over the rest of the basil and serve with the toasted bread rubbed with garlic.

    A spoonful of sauce on the bread is all it takes for a bruschetta you'll love.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick meaty rabbit pieces, legs and saddle, they stay moist through the long cooking time.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, finish the last ten minutes uncovered to let it reduce.
  • Rub the toasted bread with a raw garlic clove right before serving, the aroma comes through much sharper than if cooked into the sauce.

The variations

  • Swap the rabbit for cut up free range chicken, the cooking time will be a bit shorter, around 45 minutes.
  • For a vegetarian version, use button mushrooms and potatoes instead of rabbit, keeping the same tomato basil sauce.
  • For kids, skip the red pepper flakes and serve the sauce blended over pasta instead of with bread.

What to serve it with

  • Toasted country bread rubbed with garlic
  • A lemony green salad
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Ischitana style rabbit keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the bread. Reheat gently in a skillet or pot with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make Ischitana style rabbit ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better reheated the next day, the flavors have time to blend together. Make the pot the day before and reheat it gently before serving.

What cut of rabbit works best for this recipe?

A rabbit cut into pieces with legs and saddle works perfectly. Avoid overly lean cuts, they tend to dry out during the long cooking time.

Can you replace the white wine in this recipe?

You can swap it for chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice. The flavor will be a bit less distinctive but the dish still turns out well.

Why crush some of the cherry tomatoes while cooking?

Crushing a few cherry tomatoes releases their juice and helps build a smoother sauce. The tomatoes left whole keep some bite in the finished dish.

How long does it take to make an Ischitana style rabbit with bread?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an Ischitana style rabbit with bread?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an Ischitana style rabbit with bread cost?

About €4.10 per serving, or €16.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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