Recipe Manuscript

Frangas Em Ballon

Name: Frangas Em Ballon
Prep time: PTPT1H
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2–3 young chickens (1–1.2 kg each); 300 g chicken breast or tender game meat (partridge/turkey/permitted substitute); 80 g cured ham (such as presunto or Parma ham); 50 g black truffle (if unavailable, 20 g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated); 50 g pork fatback (or unsmoked pancetta, finely chopped or grated); Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; Fresh herbs (e.g., parsley, thyme, tarragon), roughly 1 tablespoon mixed; 3–4 tbsp pork lard (or butter, but lard preferred for authenticity); Thin slices of pork fat or belly (enough to wrap each chicken ball); For the braise: 1 L chicken stock, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 100 ml white wine; For serving: Italian tomato-herb sauce, Spanish-style brown sauce, or clear stock with lemon juice

"Chickens En Ballon"

1785

From the treasured pages of Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha

Written by Lucas Rigaud

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1785

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

Frangas Em Ballon

"Tomem duas , ou tres frangas, defossem-nas, como as de cima, e recheem-nas com hum picado feito de peitos de galinhas, de perdizes, ou de perú, ou de qualquer outra cafta de caça que feja tenra, prefunto, trufas, tudo cortado em dadinhos, misturado com toucinho rafpado, e temperado tudo com fal, pimenta, hervas finas; depois de encherem as galinhas, cosao-nas de roda, e fechem-nas como huma bolça, de modo que fiquem redondas como huma bola; depois ponhaõ-nas a entezar em gordura de porco derretida; dahi tirem-nas, ponhaõ-nas a escorrer, enxuguem-nas muito bem; cubraõ-nas depois de enxutas com huma prancha de toucinho, e ponhaõ-se a cozer em huma bréza, e cozidas que fejaõ, sirvaõ-se com molho á Italiana. Podem-se tambem servir com molho á Hespanhola, ou com molho de essencia clara, e çumo de limaõ."

English Translation

"Take two or three chickens, bone them as described above, and stuff them with a minced mixture made from the breasts of chickens, partridges, or turkey, or any other kind of tender game meat, ham, truffles, all cut into dice, mixed with grated bacon, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and fine herbs; after filling the chickens, sew them all around and close them like a purse, so that they are round like a ball; then put them to brown in melted pork fat; from there take them out, place them to drain, dry them very well; after they're dry, cover them with a slice of bacon, and cook them in a braise, and once cooked, serve them with Italian sauce. They can also be served with Spanish sauce, or with a clear essence sauce and lemon juice."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe, as written, is more a kitchen note than a step-by-step process, assuming a high level of culinary literacy: measurements are imprecise and directions sparse, trusting the cook’s skill. Orthography is archaic Portuguese: 'frangas' for young hens, 'prafunto' for presunto (ham), 'cosao-nas' for sewing, and 'entezar' (from entezar) meaning to sear or sauté in fat. The description expects the cook to understand both the technique of sewing stuffed poultry closed and the difference between types of sauces, with little more than a mention.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha (1785)

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

Writer

Lucas Rigaud

Era

1785

Publisher

L. da Silva Godinho

Background

A sumptuous journey through 18th-century Portuguese cuisine, 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha' invites readers to master the refined and innovative cookery of its time. Delight in a treasury of recipes and culinary secrets that celebrate the flavors and craftsmanship of Lisbon's gastronomic past.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 'Cozinheiro moderno, ou nova arte de cozinha,' published in Lisbon in 1785 by Lucas Rigaud, a period when both sophisticated French gastronomic influences and regional Portuguese traditions mingled at the table of the urban elite. It represents the 18th-century penchant for intricate boned fowl dishes, using elaborate stuffing and shaping methods (here, shaping chickens into balls — 'em ballon') that would have delighted diners at noble and wealthy bourgeois tables. These techniques show the influence of both Italian and French cuisines, common in Iberian cookery of the Enlightenment era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the 18th century, the cook would use a sharp boning knife for deboning poultry, heavy sewing needles and kitchen twine or fine skewers for closing the stuffed birds, and iron pans for searing in pork fat. The braising would take place in robust copper or cast-iron pots over a wood or charcoal fire. Finely chopped ingredients were made possible by mezzalunas, large chef's knives, or cleavers, and all preparation was performed by hand without mechanical aids.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr

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

2–3 young chickens (2.2–2.6 lbs each)
10.5 oz chicken breast or tender game meat (partridge/turkey/permitted substitute)
2.8 oz cured ham (such as presunto or Parma ham)
1.75 oz black truffle (if unavailable, 0.7 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated)
1.75 oz pork fatback (or unsmoked pancetta, finely chopped or grated)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh herbs (e.g., parsley, thyme, tarragon), roughly 1 tablespoon mixed
3–4 tbsp pork lard (or butter, but lard preferred for authenticity)
Thin slices of pork fat or belly (enough to wrap each chicken ball)
For the braise: 4 cups chicken stock, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 3.5 fl oz white wine
For serving: Italian tomato-herb sauce, Spanish-style brown sauce, or clear stock with lemon juice

Instructions

To prepare 'Frangas em Ballon' today, begin by selecting 2 or 3 young chickens (about 2.2–2.6 lbs each).
Clean and debone them, keeping the skin intact if possible.
Prepare a stuffing by finely dicing 10.5 oz of chicken breasts or a mix of tender game meat (such as partridge or turkey), 2.8 oz cured ham, 1.75 oz black truffle (if available, otherwise substitute with 0.7 oz rehydrated dried porcini for earthiness), and mix with 1.75 oz grated or finely chopped pork fatback (or unsmoked pancetta), seasoned generously with salt, black pepper, and your choice of fresh finely chopped herbs like parsley, thyme, and tarragon.
Stuff the boned chickens with this mixture, then sew or tie with kitchen twine so they form tight, ball-shaped bundles.
Sear them gently in 3–4 tablespoons of melted pork lard until lightly golden on all sides, then drain thoroughly.
Once cooled and blotted, wrap each chicken ball in thin slices of pork fat or belly, and cook them slowly in a braise (a gentle stew of stock, vegetables, and a splash of white wine) until fully cooked and tender (about 45–60 minutes at 325°F for chickens of this size).
Serve with an Italian-style sauce (a reduction of stock, tomatoes, and fresh herbs) or a Spanish-style brown sauce.
You might also finish with a light essence sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing this dish takes additional time due to deboning the chickens, making the stuffing, and tying the chicken bundles. Cooking involves searing and then gently braising the stuffed chickens until tender. Each serving is satisfying and comforting.

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.