Pastey Van Een Kapoen Sonder Beenders
"Pasty Of A Capon Without Bones"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Pastey Van Een Kapoen Sonder Beenders
"Opent een Kapoen langs den Rug, bewaar het Vel ongeschonden; neem'er alle de Beenen uit, behalven die van de Stuit en de Bouten, en vul se met het vulzel dat gy zult maken van desselfs Vlees, een stukje Kalfs-vlees, Vet of Merg van een Os, en Spek met Zout, Peper, fijne kruiden, kleine Uyentjens, Nagelen, Champinjons, Truffels, Kalfs-zwefericken toebereid: gevult zynde, soo zet het in de Korst, waar van de grond met sneetjens Spek is belegt, en dekt se met de zelfde fijne of Witre korst: verguld se, en laat se een paar uuren bakken: doe'er Citroen-zap over als gy het aanregt."
English Translation
"Open a capon along the back, keeping the skin intact; remove all the bones except those of the rump and legs, and fill it with a stuffing made from its own meat, a piece of veal, fat or marrow from an ox, and bacon with salt, pepper, fine herbs, small onions, cloves, mushrooms, truffles, prepared veal sweetbreads: once filled, place it in the pastry crust, the bottom of which is lined with slices of bacon, and cover it with the same fine or white crust: glaze it, and bake it for a couple of hours: pour lemon juice over it when serving."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the casual, narrative style common to early modern cookery manuscripts—detailed in action but vague by modern standards about exact quantities or times. It assumes the cook's competency and willingness to improvise. Spelling can be idiosyncratic and archaic: 'Pastey' for 'pastei' (pie), 'Kapoen' for capon, 'Nagelen' for cloves, and terms like 'zwefericken' for sweetbreads might require interpretation. Instructions focus more on technique and less on precise measurement—typical of the era where cooks adjusted based on experience.
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 sumptuous dish comes from an early 18th-century Dutch cookbook, a period when pastry pies (pasteyen) were culinary showpieces at grand tables across Europe. The Netherlands at this time enjoyed a thriving trade network, which brought luxury ingredients like truffles and spices into richer kitchens. Capons (castrated, fattened cockerels) were especially prized for their tender flesh. Recipes like this—showing off de-boning skills, intricate stuffing, and the use of expensive spices and meats—reflect both wealth and fashion in the culinary world of the Dutch Republic. Pies were served not only for their taste, but to demonstrate the cook's and host's wealth and sophistication.
Back in 1725, the cook would wield a sharp boning knife to remove the capon's bones while keeping the skin unbroken—a testament to skill and patience. A large wooden chopping board, sturdy pestle and mortar for mincing and grinding, and a heavy earthenware or copper pie dish would be used. Pastry would be mixed by hand, rolled with a wooden rolling pin, and lined into the dish. The pie would be baked in a wood-fired oven, requiring the cook to judge temperature and time by experience, sight, and smell.
Prep Time
1 hr 30 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 capon (about 4 1/2 lb, or substitute large chicken)
- 10 1/2 oz chicken or capon meat, minced (from breast and thighs)
- 5 1/4 oz veal, minced
- 1 3/4 oz beef fat or beef marrow, chopped
- 2 3/4 oz unsmoked pork belly or streaky bacon, diced
- 1/3 oz sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper (about 1-2 tsp)
- 1 tsp fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, possibly marjoram)
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 3/4 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (cultivated or wild; optional 1/2 oz chopped truffle or substitute more mushrooms)
- 3 1/2 oz veal sweetbreads, cleaned and blanched (substitute more veal if unavailable)
- Egg yolk for glazing
- 1 lb 12 oz (approximate) shortcrust or hot water crust pastry
- Thin slices of unsmoked bacon (about 3 1/2 oz)
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Begin by taking a fresh capon (or a large chicken, about 4 1/2 lb) and carefully make an incision along the backbone.
- Keep the skin intact as much as possible.
- Remove all the bones except those in the wings and drumsticks, so that the bird can later be stufffed and shaped.
- Prepare a stuffing: mince together about 10 1/2 oz of the bird’s breast and thigh meat, 5 1/4 oz veal, 1 3/4 oz beef fat (or marrow), and 2 3/4 oz pork belly or unsmoked bacon.
- Season this mixture generously with about 1/3 oz salt, black pepper, a teaspoon mixed chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley and thyme), two small finely chopped onions, a pinch of ground cloves, 2 3/4 oz finely diced cultivated mushrooms (or a mixture with truffle, or just more mushrooms if truffle is unavailable), and 3 1/2 oz ready-prepared veal sweetbreads (or an extra portion of veal, if unavailable).
- Stuff the de-boned capon with this mixture.
- Prepare a sturdy shortcrust or hot water crust pastry (about 1 lb 12 oz).
- Roll out half and lay it in a deep pie tin.
- Line the bottom with thin slices of bacon.
- Place the filled capon on top, cover with the rest of the pastry, and seal well.
- Brush with egg yolk for a golden finish.
- Bake at 350°F for about 2 hours, or until deep golden and thoroughly cooked.
- Serve hot, with a squueze of fresh lemon juice over the sliced portions.
Estimated Calories
780 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and stuffing the capon, as well as assembling the pie, takes some time. Baking cooks the capon and the pastry through. Each serving has around 780 calories based on the ingredients. This recipe makes about 8 hearty servings.
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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