Method

1. To make rabbit filling, heat half the oil in a large heavy based saucepan over high heat. Cook rabbit pieces in batches until browned all over. Remove and set aside. Add butter and remaining oil. Cook pancetta and vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in herbs, wine and stock. Return rabbit pieces to pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour or until rabbit is tender. Uncover and simmer for a further 30 minutes or until meats starts to fall off bone. Leave rabbit to cool in stock for 30 mins.

2. Remove rabbit and strain vegetables, reserving stock for another use.

3. Strip meat from bones then pass rabbit and 1 cup of the vegetable mixture through a mincer on the coarsest setting. Stir truffle paste through minced filling. Season to taste, adding more truffle paste if desired. If mixture is wet, try adding a tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs. You need to be able to form it into small balls, without it falling apart. If mixture is too wet, the ravioli may split during cooking.

4. To make pasta, sift flour and salt onto a clean work bench. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs and oil. Whisk lightly with a fork, drawing in flour from sides until mixture is thick. Using your hands, incorporate remaining flour to form a soft pliable dough. Add a little extra flour if dough is sticky or cold water if it is too dry. Dough is correct consistency if your thumb comes back clean when pushed into it.

5. Knead dough on a lightly floured bench for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic (it will lose it's rough, floury texture). Wrap in cling wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

6. Cut into 3 equal pieces. Pass each piece through a pasta machine on the widest setting, repeating on all of the settings until you have a 2mm-thick rectangular pasta sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Cut each sheet in half so you have six equal pieces.

7. Lay one sheet of pasta on bench. Spoon 6 walnut-sized balls of filling onto pasta about 5cm apart. Lightly brush around filling with water. Lay second pasta sheet on top and press around filling to seal. Using a pasta cutter or sharp knife, trim ravioli into 7cm squares. Seal edges of ravioli with a fork. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling to make 18 ravioli.

8. To make sauce, heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook pancetta until crisp. Add cream, stock and thyme. Simmer for 4-5 mins until thickened. Stir in truffle paste. Season. Remove thyme sprig.

9. Cook ravioli in batches, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, for about 7 minutes. Drain.