Lasagna with Rabbit Liver
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Game
Season: Winter
Difficulty: Easy and Quick

This surely is not an everyday dish, but if you eat rabbit then set aside that liver for this preparation.  I have rabbit about once or twice a year and will set aside the gizzards and liver in a freezer bag in order to make this preparation. This is a delicious dish where everything cooks so quickly that you could probably serve it before the phone stops ringing.  Rabbit liver is ideal for this preparation, although turkey or chicken liver is just fine too. 

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1 ounce pancetta, chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces rabbit gizzards and liver, gizzards chopped coarsely, liver sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 pound no-boil (instant) lasagna

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook the pancetta and gizzards in the olive oil over high heat until it turns crispy, stirring almost constantly, about 3 minutes.  Add the liver and thyme and cook until it turns color, 1 to 2 minutes.  Turn the heat off and leave in the pan while the pasta cooks.

2. Meanwhile, for every pound of pasta, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat, salt abundantly with up to 1/2 cup of salt, then add the pasta in handfuls.  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick together, until al dente.  Drain without rinsing.

3. Transfer the pasta to the skillet, sprinkle with pecorino cheese, and cut any which way with a fork and knife, tossing and stirring as you do.  Transfer to individual serving bowls and sprinkle a little pecorino on top and serve.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 12/19/2006