Rabbit in tomato and red wine sauce (Maltese national specialty)

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 rabbit (ready to cook)
• 2 onions
• 9 cloves garlic
• 500 ml tomato(s), pureed
• 1 small can of tomatoes, peeled
• 2 carrots
• 2 potatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• Oil, for frying
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp spice mix (omit rabbit seasoning if not available)
• 1 jar of wine, red, (approx. 200 ml)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup(s) peas (frozen)
• 300 g pasta (spaghetti)

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes

Stuffat tal-Fenek (original name)

Clean and chop the rabbit. Brown each piece thoroughly (about 15 minutes) and set aside. Now finely chop the onions, press 6 cloves of garlic, fry them together, and place everything in a large pot. Add the passata and peeled tomatoes and bring everything to a boil. Add all the rabbit pieces and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix the red wine with the cinnamon and rabbit seasoning and add to the rabbit, along with the bay leaves. Simmer everything for 1 hour. Peel the carrots, peel the potatoes, and chop both into small pieces. Press the remaining garlic cloves and add everything to the rabbit. After 30 minutes, add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. After 5 minutes, add the peas and simmer for another 20 minutes. Cook the spaghetti al dente and drain. Place the rabbit pieces in a bowl and serve the spaghetti with the sauce. Done. Tips/Info: 1. The head is usually cooked with the dish (for flavor), but discarded before serving. 2. You can also add a small can instead of frozen peas, but only add it 10 minutes before the end of cooking, otherwise they get mushy. 3. If you like rabbit and happen to be traveling to Malta, you should buy rabbit seasoning from the supermarket. It’s worth it 😉 4. The rabbit should simmer slowly, as the flavor intensifies. 5. The rabbit is enough for 3 people, but the sauce for 4. 6. In Malta, the spaghetti is usually served with the rabbit sauce first, followed by the rabbit, although I personally like to eat the rabbit with the spaghetti.