Recipe Manuscript

Weisse Erbsen-Suppe

Name: Weisse Erbsen-Suppe
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 250 g dried white peas (or yellow split peas); 1 liter water or beef/chicken broth; 250 ml whole milk; 100 ml cream (optional, for thickening); 30 g butter; 50 g raisins (for sweet version); 1–2 tbsp sugar (for sweet version); 1 tsp salt (for savory version); 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (for savory version); Toasted white bread, in cubes or slices; Ground cinnamon (for sweet version)

"White Pea Soup"

1788

From the treasured pages of Augsburgisches Kochbuch

Written by Sophie Juliane Weiler

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Beginner Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1788

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Weisse Erbsen-Suppe

"Siede die Erbsen in Wasser oder Fleischbrühe, daß sie recht weich werden, gieß sie ab, treib sie mit Milch durch einen Seyher. Wann dieses geschehen, so thue noch süßen Raum daran, bis die Brühe in der rechten Dicke ist, wie du sie haben willst. Laß sie noch einmal aufsieden. Wann nun die Erbsen im Wasser gekocht sind, wird ein Stück Butter mit gekocht. Will man sie süß, so thut man Weinbeere und Zucker hinein, und läßt sie mit aufsieden. Richte sie hernach über gebähetes weisses Brod an, und streue gestoßenen Zimmet darauf. Will man sie aber nicht süß, so thu Salz dazu, und reibe Muskatenmuß darauf."

English Translation

"Boil the peas in water or meat broth until they become quite soft, pour them off, and press them through a sieve with milk. When this is done, add more sweet cream until the broth is as thick as you want it to be. Let it come to a boil again. When the peas are cooked in water, a piece of butter is also cooked with them. If you want it sweet, add raisins and sugar, and let them boil together. Afterwards, serve it over toasted white bread and sprinkle ground cinnamon on top. If you do not want it sweet, then add salt and grate nutmeg on it."

Note on the Original Text

Recipe instructions from this era are intentionally concise, assuming the reader's working familiarity with basic cooking methods, like boiling, sieving, and seasoning. Quantities, timings, and temperatures are often vague, reflecting both hand-measurement and adjustment to taste or texture. Spelling reflects the orthography of late 18th-century German, with forms like 'thue' (for 'tue', meaning ‘do/add’), 'Raum' (likely cream or milk), and 'Seyher' (sieve). The prose flows by action steps, guiding the cook visually and by judgment rather than precision—making interpretation both challenging and delightfully immersive for the modern chef.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Augsburgisches Kochbuch - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Augsburgisches Kochbuch (1788)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Sophie Juliane Weiler

Era

1788

Publisher

In der Joseph-Wolffischen Buchhandlung

Background

A delightful journey through 18th-century German cuisine, the Augsburgisches Kochbuch serves up a generous helping of traditional recipes and household wisdom, inviting readers to savor the flavors and customs of its era.

Kindly made available by

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for Weisse Erbsen-Suppe (‘White Pea Soup’) comes from the 'Augsburgisches Kochbuch', first published in 1788 by Sophie Juliane Weiler in Augsburg, Germany. The book belongs to an era of burgeoning printed cookbooks read by the rising middle classes, reflecting both traditional German fare and the influence of refined court kitchens. At the time, soups like this were valued for their heartiness and adaptability—they could be made savory or sweet, depending on the occasion and diners’ preference. This soup was flexible enough for fasting days (made with water) or richer feasts (with broth and plenty of butter or cream), showing the resourcefulness and creativity of 18th-century cooks.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In Weiler's kitchen, peas would be cooked in a heavy pot over an open hearth or stove. The soft peas were then forced through a wire or hair sieve ('Seyher'), a multi-purpose strainer found in most kitchens of the time, to achieve a velvety texture. Mixing would have been done by hand with wooden spoons or ladles. Bread was sliced and toasted by the fire, and spices ground in a mortar and pestle. Serving bowls would receive the hot soup ladled over croutons or slices of bread, ready for the table.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

9 oz dried white peas (or yellow split peas)
4 1/4 cups water or beef/chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream (optional, for thickening)
2 tbsp butter
1 3/4 oz raisins (for sweet version)
1–2 tbsp sugar (for sweet version)
1 tsp salt (for savory version)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (for savory version)
Toasted white bread, in cubes or slices
Ground cinnamon (for sweet version)

Instructions

Begin by simmering 9 oz dried white peas (or yellow split peas, if unavailable) in 4 1/4 cups of water or beef/chicken broth until they are very soft, about 45–60 minutes.
Drain excess liquid.
Pass the peas through a sieve or blend them with 1 cup whole milk until smooth.
Adjust the texture with additional milk or cream (about 1/2 cup) until the soup is as thick as you like.
Bring the mixture briefly back to a simmer.
If you cooked the peas in water, add 2 tbsp butter and let it melt in as you reheat.
For a sweet version, add 1 3/4 oz raisins and 1–2 tablespoons sugar, then simmer briefly.
Serve the soup poured over cubes of toasted white bread and top with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
For a savory version, season with 1 teaspoon salt and grate a little nutmeg on top.
Serve over toasted white bread as before.

Estimated Calories

270 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Cooking the peas until soft takes about 50 to 60 minutes. You will need around 10 minutes to prepare your ingredients and workspace. Each serving has about 270 calories if the recipe is divided into four bowls.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.