main dishes sardinian

Spaghetti alla Cacciatora (Spaghetti with Hare)

Traditional Sardinian hunter's pasta made by slow-braising hare in red wine with pancetta, herbs, and spices, then tossing it with spaghetti and pecorino.

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Prep 20 min
Cook 2h 10m
Total 2h 30m
Servings 6
Difficulty Advanced

Ingredients

Meat

Pasta

Sauce

Seasoning

Finishing

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Instructions

  1. Cut the hare into serving pieces — legs, saddle, and shoulders. Pat the pieces dry.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and render until the fat is translucent and the edges are lightly golden.

  3. Add the hare pieces to the pot and brown well on all sides, working in batches if necessary so the pieces do not steam. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes.

    Tip: Do not rush the browning. A deep, even colour on the meat is what builds the foundation of the sauce.

  4. Add the sliced onion and the whole garlic clove. Cook gently until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

  5. Dust the meat and onions with the flour and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute.

  6. Pour in the red wine. It should come up to roughly the level of the meat. Add the bay leaf, sage, rosemary, thyme, and cloves. Bring to a simmer.

  7. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally and checking that the liquid has not dried out. Add a splash of water if needed.

    Tip: The hare is done when the meat pulls away from the bone easily. If it is still tough after 1.5 hours, keep going.

  8. When the hare is tender, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly. Let the sauce reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

  9. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving a little pasta water.

  10. Toss the hot spaghetti with the hare sauce and a ladleful of pasta water. Serve with grated pecorino.

Storage & Meal Prep

The hare sauce improves on the second day. Make it ahead, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked spaghetti. The sauce also freezes well for up to 2 months.

Variations

  • With Rabbit: If you cannot find hare, rabbit is a common substitute. The flavour is milder and the meat is more tender, so reduce the braising time to about 1 hour.
  • With Malloreddus: Replace the spaghetti with malloreddus (Sardinian gnocchetti). The ridged surface holds the sauce well and makes the dish feel more distinctly Sardinian.

FAQ

Where do I buy hare?

Hare is available from specialist butchers, game dealers, and some online meat suppliers. It is not commonly found in supermarkets. If you cannot source it, rabbit is the closest substitute.

Do I need to marinate the hare first?

This recipe does not call for a separate marinade because the long braise in wine serves the same purpose — tenderising the meat and building the sauce. Some Sardinian cooks do marinate hare overnight in wine and aromatics, which adds depth but is not strictly necessary.

What kind of red wine should I use?

A full-bodied Sardinian red like Cannonau or Carignano is the traditional choice. Any dry red wine with enough structure to stand up to the long cook will work. Do not use a wine you would not drink.

Interactive Nutrition Map

6 Servings

Customize Ingredients

Cheese
Pecorino Romano
50 g
Vegetables
Onion (Yellow/White)
110 g
Garlic
3 g
Grains & Bread
Dried Pasta (Small)
400 g
All-Purpose Flour
15 g
Oils & Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
41 g

Per Serving

356kcalCalories
12gProtein
54gCarbs
10gFat
3gFiber
Sodium
105mg5% DV
Potassium
188mg4% DV
Calcium
118mg9% DV
Iron
1.1mg6% DV
Magnesium
41mg10% DV
Vitamin C
1.5mg2% DV
Vitamin A
20µg2% DV
Vitamin K
4.4µg4% DV
Folate
21µg5% DV
Dried Pasta (Small)
Onion (Yellow/White)
Garlic
All-Purpose Flour
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pecorino Romano
* Nutrition is an estimate; actual values vary by ingredient brands and cooking methods. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Story Behind This Dish

Spaghetti alla cacciatora is inland Sardinia on a plate. This is hunter’s food — hare slow-braised in red wine with pancetta, onion, garlic, and a bundle of herbs until the meat falls from the bone and the wine has collapsed into a dark, concentrated sauce. It is not a quick dinner. It is the kind of thing you start in the afternoon and eat when the bottle of wine you opened for the pot is half empty and the house smells like something serious has been cooking.

The method follows the logic of most Sardinian game dishes: brown the meat, add aromatics, deglaze with wine, and wait. The flour dusted over the meat before the wine goes in helps thicken the sauce as it reduces. The herbs — bay, sage, rosemary, thyme — are the standard Sardinian bundle for anything that needs long, slow cooking. The cloves are a less obvious addition, but they give the sauce a warmth that sets it apart from a basic wine braise.

Hare is lean and tough, which is why it needs the full hour and a half. Rabbit is a common substitute and works well with a shorter cooking time, but the flavour will be milder. If you can find hare, use it — the depth of flavour is worth the effort of sourcing it.

Part of: The Sardinian Kitchen

Related: Sardinian Table: Real Meals | Sardinian Ingredients Guide