Lasagne Verdi Rivisitate al Ragù di Coniglio (Italian Green Lasagne with Rabbit Ragù)

4 hours ago
5 min read

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 2 hours 15 minutes | Rest: 15 minutes | Total: about 3 hours 30 minutes

Story of the Dish

Green pasta and slow-cooked meat belong to the classic language of northern and central Italian cooking. This revisited lasagna replaces the familiar beef ragù with a delicate white rabbit ragù, then pairs it with spinach pasta, besciamella, Parmigiano Reggiano, white wine, rosemary, and sage. Rabbit is leaner than beef or pork, so it cannot be handled with the same aggressive heat. It must be browned for flavor and then braised gently until tender enough to separate from the bone. The meat is hand-shredded rather than mechanically ground, preserving a refined texture. The ragù remains pale and aromatic instead of tomato-heavy, allowing the green pasta and herbs to stay visible in the flavor profile. Besciamella is essential because it provides moisture and softness to a filling based on lean meat. The final lasagna should feel savory and deeply cooked without becoming heavy, with clean layers of green pasta, rabbit, sauce, and Parmigiano.

This recipe follows a layered Italian baking method in which every component is cooked to the correct point before assembly. Besciamella is not an optional garnish: it is the controlled source of moisture that allows the pasta to finish cooking evenly while binding the filling and cheese. The aim is a lasagna that is rich enough to feel generous but precise enough to cut into a clean portion after resting.

Ingredients

For the Rabbit Ragù

2 1/2 lb bone-in rabbit pieces (1.1 kg)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (45 ml)
2 tbsp unsalted butter (28 g)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 cup dry white wine (240 ml)
2 cups light chicken or rabbit stock (475 ml)
1 small rosemary sprig
4 fresh sage leaves
1 bay leaf
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Besciamella

5 tbsp unsalted butter (70 g)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (65 g)
4 cups whole milk (950 ml)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or as needed
1/8 tsp white pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, used lightly

For Assembly

3 1/2 cups Italian 00 flour (450 g)
4 large eggs
4 oz cooked spinach, squeezed extremely dry (115 g)
1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (135 g)
1 tbsp unsalted butter (14 g), for the baking dish

Preparation

1. Prepare the Main Ingredient

Pat the rabbit dry, season lightly, and brown it in olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, working in batches so the pieces color rather than steam. Transfer to a tray. Lower the heat and cook the onion, carrot, and celery for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the garlic briefly.

2. Build the Flavor Base

Return the rabbit to the pot and add the white wine. Scrape up the browned fond and reduce the wine by about half. Add rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and stock so the liquid comes about halfway up the rabbit. Simmer very gently, partially covered, for 60 to 75 minutes until the meat is tender.

3. Prepare the Besciamella

Remove the rabbit and carefully pick every bone from the meat. Discard the herb stems and bay leaf. Shred the rabbit by hand and return it to the cooking liquid. Simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes until the ragù is moist but not watery. Adjust seasoning only after reduction.

4. Prepare the Pasta and Pan

For the green pasta, squeeze the cooked spinach until extremely dry and chop or purée it finely. Combine it with the eggs and 00 flour, knead about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, wrap, and rest 30 minutes. Roll gradually to approximately 1 mm thick and cut sheets to fit the baking dish.

5. Assemble and Bake

Prepare a slightly fluid besciamella. Blanch the green sheets for 30 to 45 seconds if needed, chill, drain, and lay flat. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), butter the dish, and layer green pasta, a thin amount of rabbit ragù, besciamella, and Parmigiano for 5 to 6 layers.

6. Rest and Serve

Finish with pasta, besciamella, and Parmigiano without exposed rabbit meat. Bake 25 minutes covered and 15 to 20 minutes uncovered until golden. Rest at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Professional Technique

Rabbit has little intramuscular fat, so a hard boil after browning will tighten and dry the meat. The correct professional method is a gentle braise followed by careful hand-picking and shredding. The cooking liquid should reduce enough to cling to the meat but remain moist because the ragù will cook again in the oven. The green pasta has its own moisture challenge: spinach must be squeezed extremely dry or the dough becomes sticky and fragile. Besciamella should remain loose so it can compensate for the lean ragù and hydrate the pasta. Hand shredding preserves fibers and gives the filling a more elegant texture than grinding. Finally, thin layers matter. Rabbit is delicate, and a thick meat layer would make the dish heavy while a thick besciamella layer would mute the herbs and green pasta.

A professional lasagna also depends on proportion. Pasta, filling, besciamella, and aged cheese should repeat in thin layers rather than forming separate heavy blocks. The besciamella must be fluid before baking because it thickens again in the oven, and the final surface should be designed for browning without leaving delicate ingredients exposed to dry heat. Resting for at least 15 minutes is essential: during that time the starches absorb free moisture and the dairy proteins stabilize, which is what makes a neat slice possible without drying the interior.

Chef Tips

Use young, good-quality rabbit when possible.
Brown the rabbit thoroughly before braising.
Keep the braising liquid at a gentle simmer.
Inspect the picked meat carefully for small bones.
Shred the meat by hand rather than grinding it.
Squeeze spinach completely dry before making pasta.
Roll the green pasta thin and evenly.
Keep the besciamella slightly loose and rest the lasagna before slicing.

Common Mistakes

Boiling rabbit aggressively and drying the meat.
Leaving small bones in the ragù.
Reducing the ragù until it is dry.
Using wet spinach in the pasta dough.
Rolling excessively thick pasta sheets.
Cutting the lasagna before the layers have stabilized.

Wine Pairing

Barbera d'Alba DOC

High acidity and restrained tannin refresh the palate after rabbit, butter, and Parmigiano.

Roero Arneis DOCG

Floral notes, orchard fruit, and subtle almond character sit comfortably beside herbs and delicate rabbit.

Langhe Nebbiolo DOC

A lighter Nebbiolo offers floral complexity and savory structure without overwhelming the lean ragù.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC

Its savory acidity and herbal character connect naturally with rosemary, sage, and green pasta.

Soave Classico DOC

Mineral freshness and restrained fruit make a refined white-wine alternative for this pale ragù.

Storage & Reheating

Allow leftovers to cool promptly, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in a 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, covered loosely with foil. Remove the foil during the final 5 minutes so the gratinated surface can recover. Avoid unnecessarily high reheating temperatures, which can dry the pasta or cause cheese sauces to separate. The assembled unbaked lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. It can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months; for the best texture, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.