This cozy pasta is a bright and creamy twist on a white Bolognese, with no tomato products in sight. Instead, fragrant rosemary, salty bacon, and a robust soffritto of leeks, fennel, carrot, and celery anchor a sauce that feels right at home on your table all year round (but especially, I might argue, during Easter).
If rabbit legs are a bridge too far for you, swap in skin-on, bone-in whole chicken legs instead. (Rabbit tastes a lot like dark meat poultry.) Sear the legs skin side down in the pot (rather than on both sides), then transfer to a plate and proceed with the recipe as written.
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What you’ll need
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Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$100 $94 At Amazon
Tongs
$18 $14 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$8 $7 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pulse 1 fennel bulb, cored, coarsely chopped, 1 large carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped, 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped, and 4 garlic cloves in a food processor until very finely chopped. Set vegetable mixture aside.
Step 2
Pat 4 rabbit hind quarters (1½–2 lb. total) dry with paper towels and season well with kosher salt on both sides. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Cook rabbit until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Add 5 oz. bacon slices (about 5), coarsely chopped, to same pot and cook, stirring often, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced, patted dry, reserved vegetable mixture, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10–12 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary, ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and a few grinds of black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until combined and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Pour in 1½ cups dry white wine and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Return rabbit legs to pot and nestle into vegetable mixture. Reduce heat and simmer (you want bubbles gurgling and breaking constantly on the surface), stirring and turning rabbit legs occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half and meat is tender enough to shred with a fork, 40–50 minutes.
Step 5
Remove pot from heat and transfer legs to a large plate or cutting board with tongs. Let cool slightly, then, using 2 forks or your hands, shred meat into large pieces and stir back into ragù in pot. Discard bones.
Step 6
Cook 12 oz. tagliatelle, pappardelle, or other long, flat pasta in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
Step 7
When pasta is almost done cooking, place ragù over medium heat. Add ⅓ cup heavy cream and 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter; season ragù with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until combined, about 3 minutes.
Step 8
Add pasta and cook, stirring often and adding pasta cooking liquid as needed, until a glossy sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
Step 9
Divide pasta among shallow bowls or plates and top with finely grated Parmesan.
Do ahead: Ragù (without pasta) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
