Rabbit with Peppers and Olives Lucanian Style

La storia di questo piatto

This is Basilicata on a plate — ancient, sun-scorched, unapologetic, born from a land where peasants turned patience and poverty into something luminous. The rabbit, the peppers, the olives: three souls of the same stubborn earth, gathered together like old voices around a fire.

Ingredienti

• 1 kg Rabbit
• 150 g Dried Lucanian cruschi peppers
• 200 g Gaeta black olives
• 400 g Peeled tomatoes
• 2 medium Onion
• 3 clove Garlic clove
• 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 200 ml Dry red wine
• 250 ml Beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Black pepper
• 10 g Salt
• 2 tablespoon Dried oregano
• 1 pinch Chilli pepper

Preparazione

1. Clean the rabbit thoroughly and cut it into pieces that are not too small, then pat it dry with paper towels: this step is important because dry skin is what will brown beautifully in the pan. Season each piece generously with salt and pepper, massaging the meat gently with your fingers so the flavor penetrates everywhere.
2. Place the dried chili peppers in a bowl with warm water and let them rest until they soften and become flexible when you squeeze them between your fingers. Drain them gently, remove the seeds inside, and slice the flesh into thin strips: you'll notice their sweet and slightly smoky aroma already wafting from here.
3. Heat the oil well in a wide pot, then lay the rabbit pieces in without crowding them too much, otherwise they'll steam instead of brown. Let them color on medium-high heat, turning them occasionally, until every side takes on a beautiful golden and crispy color, then set them aside on a plate.
4. In the same pot, without cleaning it — all the rabbit's flavor is right there — soften the chopped onion and garlic over gentle heat until they fill the kitchen with a sweet and inviting aroma. Add the dried chili pepper strips and let them warm for a couple of minutes, stirring, so they release all their fragrance.
5. Pour the red wine into the pot and stir, scraping up with your spoon all the flavors stuck to the bottom: that's where the best part is hiding. Let it reduce a little until you no longer smell the sharp alcohol, then add the crushed canned tomatoes and oregano, stirring to blend everything together.
6. Return the browned rabbit to the pot along with its juices, pour in the hot broth — hot, not cold, otherwise you'll slow down the cooking — and bring everything to a vigorous boil. As soon as it boils, cover with a lid and lower the heat to the minimum: from here on, patience does the most important work.
7. Let it simmer on low heat, stirring gently from time to time so as not to break the meat pieces, and watch as the liquid gradually reduces, becoming a denser and glossier sauce. The rabbit is done when the meat practically falls away from the bone on its own and smells of tomato and wine beautifully melded together.
8. In the final minutes, add the pitted black olives, which will give a savory note and a nice dark color to the dish. Always taste before turning off the heat: this is the moment to adjust the salt, pepper, and, if you like a more assertive flavor, an extra pinch of chili pepper.
9. Arrange the rabbit on plates with its fragrant sauce and the dried chili pepper strips displayed nicely, as they're also beautiful to look at. Bring to the table piping hot, with a slice of Tuscan bread to soak up the sauce or, if you prefer, with soft and steaming polenta alongside.