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1
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Lay the boned rabbit flat, skin side down, on the work surface. Season the interior with salt, black pepper, and a film of olive oil. The surface should glisten evenly.
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2
Distribute the wild fennel fronds across the entire interior surface in a generous, even layer. Scatter the sliced garlic, rosemary leaves, and chopped liver over the fennel. The anise fragrance of the fennel should already be assertive; if it is not, add more — restraint here produces a flat result and this is where the dish lives or dies.
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3
Roll the rabbit tightly from the long side, enclosing the filling completely. Tie at 3 cm intervals with kitchen string. The roll should feel firm and hold its shape without the filling shifting when pressed gently.
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4
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based ovenproof pan or roasting dish over a medium-high flame. Brown the roll on all sides, turning with tongs. Each surface should be a deep, even golden colour before turning — approximately 3–4 minutes per side.
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5
Pour the white wine and water into the roasting dish around (not over) the roll. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 to 1.5 hours, basting every 20 minutes with the pan juices. The exterior should be consistently golden and the juices running from the centre of the roll, when tested with a skewer, should run clear with no trace of pink.
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6
Remove the roll from the oven and rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes before removing the string and slicing. The roll should feel firm and hold its spiral cleanly when cut — each slice revealing the filling in an unbroken band against the pale rabbit meat.