This dish was born in my family in the early 1900s. Grandmother Ciccina used to cook large pieces of rabbit on the bone with almonds, basil and Nubia red garlic; she used the sauce left over as a sauce for the pasta and the rabbit pieces would accompany the primo (starter), thus becoming a dish that was both primo and secondo (main course).

 Ingredients for 4 people:

• BUSIATE (typical Trapanese fresh pasta) 400 g
• BONELESS RABBIT 200 g
• PEELED ALMONDS 50 g
• RED GARLIC OF NUBIA 2 cloves
• 2 BUNCHES OF FRESH BASIL
• SALT
• PEPPER
• EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

METHOD

Cut the rabbit into ½ cm cubes. Cook the rabbit with extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add salt and pepper. Put the washed basil, garlic, almonds and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a mortar, crush it all (or use a hand blender) until it becomes a smooth purée. Add the rabbit, season with salt and pepper, cook for about 10 minutes. Cook the busiate in salted water, drain and sauté in a pan with the sauce. Serve hot with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.