Fenkata

Rabbit slow-braised in wine and garlic — Malta's national dish.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Rabbit
• 2 cups Red wine
• 12 cloves Garlic
• 3 Bay leaves
• 2 Onions
• 3 tbsp Tomato paste
• 4 Potatoes
• 1 cup Peas
• ¼ cup Olive oil
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper

Method

1. Marinate overnight — Cover the rabbit pieces in red wine with garlic and bay and refrigerate overnight.
2. Dry and brown — Pat the pieces dry and brown them hard in olive oil — wet meat will not colour.
3. Build the sauce — Add the onion and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes.
4. Braise — Pour the marinade back in and simmer gently 1½ hours.
5. Add vegetables — Add the potatoes and peas and cook 30 minutes.
6. Fenkata is ready — Traditionally the sauce is served first with spaghetti, then the rabbit as a second course.

More Malta recipes

• Pastizzi
• Aljotta