My husband had a fantastic rabbit pasta dish at Sportello in Boston this summer so I thought I would try to recreate at home. I found a recipe in Cooking by Hand that I thought matched the dish exactly. I got dried pasta and porcinis from Guidi Marcello and fresh, whole rabbit from A Cut Above, both in Santa Monica.
This was stewed rabbit and pasta together in the pot.
This was the meal plated.
I think it was even better the next day, as leftovers. If I make again, I will stew the rabbit the night before and reheat with pasta the next night.
So I went back and looked at what we had a Sportello and realized it was much different! It was on hand rolled pasta. Might try that next time.
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That sounds terrific, how awesome that you were able to do that for him. Were you at the restaurant with him, or were only given a description?
I’ve gone to Yelp photos before when trying to recreate a dish, to get an idea of what the final plating looks like.
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I was there and oddly, until I looked at the picture, we were both sure that what I made was the dish he had had, though I did have an idea that olives were involved in the dish at Sportello. I’m a wee too lazy to make pasta, but hand rolled sounds easier. Will post if I do make again!
A valiant effort!
I’m not 100% sure, but I think their noodles are a variation of cavatelli. Here is a good gif guide I found by LA chef Evan Funke on how to make a solid version (note: the shape is a bit different - you just wouldn’t need to do the cheese grater step, I think): GIF Tutorial: How to Make Homemade Pasta, with Evan Funke | First We Feast
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Thanks for the link! Looks like a job for my husband who is the bread and pie crust maker in the family. No kneading for me! I don’t like the variables involved - I want to be able to follow a recipe and know it will turn out!
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Geez, that sounds good. Is it rabbit season yet?
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Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! That’s fantastic!! Now I can truly recreate at home, or at least try to!! Happy new year!!!
Can you get wild rabbit? I get mine either from the ranchers at the farmers market or Cut Above or Bristol Farms - I assume those are all farmed. I have a couple recipes for wild hare but no idea how to source those locally.
I can’t source rabbit. I asked once at WF and was told that they can’t find a source that meets their standards, whatever that is. I should see if any of our local farmers or ranchers have any.
No. I was reliving childhood memories…
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Anyplace that has D’Artagnan stuff should be able to special-order rabbit.
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Nothing around Reno/Tahoe. Enjoy your privilege 
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The German market in Torrance (Alpine Village) has rabbit in the freezer or if you are in Carlsbad Tip Top Meats has many more “unusual” meat selections, e.g. wild boar, antelope, rabbit, deer etc in their freezerz
That is excellent information! Thank you, I’m in the South Bay fairly often. I’ll check it out.
Not wild rabbit—but in LA both poultry butchers at the Original Farmers Market @ 3rd & Fairfax (Marconda’s Puritan Poultry and Farmers Market Poultry) usually have fresh rabbit. I was there last Friday and saw them in the case.
Sprouts (at least our local one) carries several frozen game meats, including elk, bison, pheasant and rabbit. They even have frozen kangaroo meat.