Chestnut pappardelle with rabbit ragu
Serves: 4-6

Break down the rabbit, removing the front and back legs first, then chop the body and ribs into about 6 pieces. In a pan large enough to neatly fit the rabbit, heat ½ of the olive oil and gently sauté the onions and garlic. When the onions are soft, remove the pan from the heat. Heat a new pan to a medium temperature, add the rest of the olive oil and lightly brown the rabbit pieces. When browned, put the onions back on the heat. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Neatly arrange the rabbit pieces into the pan over the onions. Add the bay leaves, ½ of the oregano, carrots and chicken stock. Cover and place in a pre-heated oven at 160°C for 1½ to 2 hours.

Once the rabbit is soft to the bone, remove from oven. Carefully remove the rabbit from the pan and cover to keep warm. Pick the meat away from the bones and transfer to a warm dish. Reduce the sauce left in the pan gently on the stove until just starting to thicken. Add the rabbit back to the reduced sauce then add the butter to further thicken and intensify. You should have a rich thick, ragu.

Pasta- Combine all the ingredients together in a food processer and pour out onto a floured bench. Alternatively mix the flours together on a bench and make a well in the center. Add the other ingredients into the well, and mix together.  You’re your fingers to slowly combine the wet ingredients into the flour. When combined, knead until you have a non-sticky pasta dough.  When the dough is formed, rest for 2 hours. Once rested, cut into smaller pieces. Take a piece of dough and roll through the thickest setting on your pasta machine. Fold in half and repeat the process 3 more times. Then start rolling the pasta out, de-creasing the setting of your machine each time. When you have one long sheet- 1-2mm thick, fold up and cut into thick strips of pappardelle.

To serve- Boil Some salted water in a large pot and cook your pasta for a minute or two until ‘al dente’. Heat the ragu on the stove and toss through the pasta. Serve with fresh parmesan.