Boned rabbit with bread and olive stuffing

For the stuffing

Dry bread in a low oven and then crush in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Put crumbs in a bowl and add olives, parsley, zest and mozzarella.

Heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic until well-softened. Cool and then add to other stuffing ingredients. Season to taste.

For the rabbit

Ask your butcher to bone the rabbit for you. Make a couple of slashes in the thigh meat to even out the thickness. Remove the forelegs and reserve.

Alternatively, don't bone it. Fill the belly with the stuffing and chop the cooked rabbit into sections, and put a spoonful of stuffing on each piece.

Take a piece of foil 80cm long and fold in half so you have a doubled sheet 40cm long. Oil it. Lay boned rabbit on top and spoon the stuffing down the centre. Fold belly flaps over the stuffing and squeeze the thigh meat around the stuffing at the other end.

Roll up using the foil to make a firm sausage shape.

Wrap forelegs in two slices of pancetta.

Put foil parcel, wrapped forelegs and the garlic cloves into a baking tray brushed with a little olive oil.

Roast at 180C for 20 minutes.

Remove parcel to a warm spot and leave to rest, still wrapped. Turn the forelegs and continue to roast until tender.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stir in the stock or the vino cotto. Unwrap one end of the foil parcel and allow any juices to drain into the baking tray.

Cut thick slices from the rabbit, and serve with the forelegs and the juices.

I serve this with sauteed greens, such as silverbeet or leaf chicory.

Makes 4 modest portions