Slit the chestnuts on their flat sides.

Place chestnuts in a saucepan and cover with cold water.

Simmer the chestnuts for 5 minutes.

Drain, peel, and remove inner skins from chestnuts.

Melt minced pancetta with olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Add crushed ginger and sauté for a minute to infuse the fat.

Add chestnuts, sprinkle with salt, and sauté for 5 minutes.

Crush cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns and tie them up in a cheesecloth.

Add red wine and enough water to cover the chestnuts.

Add the spice sachet, simmer and cook the chestnuts for 20-25 minutes until tender.

Remove spice sachet and chestnuts with a slotted spoon. Strain liquid.

Reduce the liquid to 1 cup over high heat.

Add honey to the reduced liquid and melt, then add chestnuts and coat in sauce.

Cover and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large ceramic or terra-cotta casserole over medium-high heat and soften minced pancetta.

Rinse and dry rabbit pieces with paper towels.

Brown the rabbit pieces in the fat, season with salt, seal on all sides, then remove to a plate.

Add rosemary and sage to the casserole to perfume the fat.

Add red wine, stir and scrape the residue, then add the rabbit.

Bring to a gentle simmer, lower the heat, and tightly cover the casserole.

Braise the rabbit for 40-45 minutes, or until the flesh begins to fall off the bones, keeping liquids at gentle simmer.

Remove rabbit pieces to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Strain the juices and reduce over high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Mash reserved rabbit liver with honey and grappa, then add to the simmering sauce, stirring to thicken.

Return rabbit to the finished sauce and warm together for 1 minute.

Present the rabbit with the warmed spiced chestnuts.