Paftey Van Snippen
"Pasty Of Snipes"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Paftey Van Snippen
"Maak een Korft van drie duimen hoog; doe daar Snippen in, na dat gy se braaf op de Borst zult hebben geklopt, en te hebben gelardeert met middelbaar Spek; stoffeer uwe Paftey met Champinjons, Truffens, gestampt Spek, Zout, Peper, Preyen of Chalotten, een weinig groene Citroen of Orange, een blad Lauwrier, en dekt fe met het zelfde Deeg; verguld se, en laat se twee uuren bakken; gebakken zynde, doe'er Zap van Citroenen of Oranjen, of Verjuis by."
English Translation
"Make a crust (pastry case) three thumbs high; put snipes in it, after you have patted them well on the breast and larded them with middling bacon; line your pasty with mushrooms, truffles, pounded bacon, salt, pepper, leeks or shallots, a little fresh lemon or orange, a bay leaf, and cover it with the same dough; glaze it and let it bake for two hours; when baked, add juice of lemons or oranges, or verjuice."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is presented in flowing, descriptive sentences, lacking precise measurements or times, relying on the cook’s familiarity with ingredients and techniques. This style reflects a time when formalized, standardized recipes were rare, and most readers were expected to be experienced household cooks or professional kitchen staff. Spelling and word choice reflect early 18th-century Dutch, with terms like 'Korft' for crust or shell, 'Paftey' (pastey/pastei) for pie, and 'gy' for you. The text blends culinary French with local words, indicative of the period’s cultural influences.
Title
Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
J. du Vivie
Background
A delectable journey into 18th-century Dutch cuisine, this cookbook serves up traditional recipes, culinary wisdom, and a flavorful glimpse of the Netherlands’ rich gastronomic heritage.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe is drawn from the influential 1725 Dutch cookbook 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek', printed in Leiden. Published during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by urban prosperity and global trade, it reflects the cosmopolitan tastes of Dutch elites, mixing native and imported ingredients—truffles, citrus, and even game birds. Such a pie would grace festive feasts or special occasions, conveying status and culinary refinement. The recipe’s use of exotic spices, imported produce, and costly game would demonstrate a household's wealth and sophistication.
In the early 18th century, this pie would be assembled using a heavy wooden pastry board, rolling pin, and a mortar and pestle for pounding bacon. The pastry was often hand-formed in deep ceramic or metal molds (or even ‘coffyns’ made purely of dough). Larding needles or simple knives helped with inserting bacon into the breast of the birds. Baking was done in large communal or home wood-fired ovens, with careful management of heat and timing. Glazing was performed with a brush made from goose feathers or reeds.
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Servings
8
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
- 1 batch hot water crust pastry (enough for a 2.5 inch tall case with lid, about 4 cups flour, 7 oz lard, 1 cup water)
- 2-3 small snipe or substitute 3 quails or woodcocks
- 3.5 oz streaky smoked bacon, thinly sliced for larding
- 5 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 oz truffles (substitute with extra mushrooms, if unavailable)
- 1.75 oz bacon, finely chopped or pounded
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small leek (white part) or 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- Zest of 1/2 green lemon or orange (or unwaxed regular lemon/orange)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 egg yolk, for glazing
- Juice of 1 lemon or orange, or 3 tbsp verjuice
Instructions
- Begin by making a pastry case roughly 2.5 inches (three thumbs) tall, using a sturdy hot water crust pastry for sufficient structure.
- Prepare your snipe (or substitute with small game birds like quail or woodcock) by thoroughly patting the breast, then larding or laying thin slices of smoked streaky bacon over the breast meat.
- Layer the bottom of the pastry shell with sliced mushrooms (champignons), truffles (or additional mushrooms), finely chopped bacon (pounded in a mortar if available), a good pinch of salt, generous black pepper, finely sliced leeks or shallots, a little zest of green (unripe) lemon or orange (or use the zest of a regular lemon/orange, taking care not to include the bitter white pith), and a bay leaf.
- Place your prepared birds on top and cover everything with a lid of more pastry, sealing the lid to the edge.
- Brush the top with egg yolk for a golden finish and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 2 hours, until the crust is deep golden and the bird is cooked through.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and immediately pour in lemon juice, orange juice, or verjuice through a hole in the pastry for a burst of acidity before serving.
Estimated Calories
600 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will need about 40 minutes to prepare the pastry and filling before baking. The pie bakes for 2 hours. Each slice of the finished pie has about 600 calories, and the recipe serves 8 people.
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.
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