Coniglio alla cassia

Ingredients:

3 pound rabbit with liver
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon butter, melted
2 ounce salt pork, diced
1/3 pound onions, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoon dry red wine
1 large ripe tomato or 1/2 cup canned peeled plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup hot water
Salt, optional

Preparation:

Cut the rabbit into 6 pieces. Wash and dry the rabbit well.
Chop the liver into very small pieces.
Combine olive oil, butter and salt pork in a saucepan. Heat.
Add onions and cook, to medium brown.
Add rabit pieces and brown for 10 minutes.
Add garlic, bay leaves, black pepper and chopped liver.
Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Add wine, stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover.
Add the tomato and the hot water, stir, and cook slowly for about 1 hour. Test for doneness. Do not overcook.
Carefully taste for salt and if needed add just a little at this point.
When rabbit is cooked, cover and keep warm until serving time.
Spoon the sauce over both rabbit and pasta.