Pastey Van Quartels
"Pasty Of Quails"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Pastey Van Quartels
"HAal het Ingewand uit de Quartels; maak een Korst van Meel, Boter en Water, eenige Doyeren van Eyeren, en Zout; maak een Bodem van een open Pastey gereed: doe daar in een Kalfs-schyfje, een weinig Spek, Rund-vet of Merg, Champinjons, Truffens (een slag van kleine Kampernoeljens aan draden gereegen), Zout, Peper, Pieterfelie, en fijne Kruiden; en gy zult uwe Quartels in de open Pastey schikken; gy zult se met Champinjons, Kalfs-zwefericken, Haane-kammen, Truffens, gestampt Spek, en een stuk versse Boter, stoffeeren; en zult se met een Korst van 't zelfde Deeg toedekken: verguld se, en laat se anderhalf uur bakken; doe het Bondeltje kruiding weg wanneer dat gy se opdisst, en doe'er wat Citroen-zap op."
English Translation
"Remove the innards from the quails; make a crust from flour, butter, and water, some egg yolks, and salt; prepare the base of an open pastry: place in it a slice of veal, a little bacon, beef fat or marrow, mushrooms, truffles (a kind of small mushrooms strung together), salt, pepper, parsley, and fine herbs; and you shall arrange your quails in the open pastry; you shall fill them with mushrooms, veal sweetbreads, cockcombs, truffles, minced bacon, and a piece of fresh butter; and cover them with a crust made from the same dough: glaze them, and let them bake for one and a half hours; remove the bundle of herbs when you serve, and add some lemon juice."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is set out in the typical brisk style of early 18th-century Dutch cookbooks: short instructions, minimal measurements, and presumption of culinary skill. Ingredient quantities were rarely precise, as experienced cooks understood what was required by feel and sight. Spelling varies notably from modern Dutch ('doyeren' for 'dooiers', 'pieterfelie' for 'peterselie'), and the names of mushrooms ('chamjignons'), truffles, and 'haane-kammen' (rooster combs) reflect contemporary kitchen French and rural vocabulary. The recipe is direct, sometimes a little ambiguous—an invitation for improvisation within a structured luxury.
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 hails from the early 18th-century Netherlands, specifically from the 1725 cookery book "Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek" published in Leyden. The Dutch culinary tradition at this time was influenced by French haute cuisine, favoring rich pastries, game, and elaborate use of mushrooms and truffles. Such showpiece meat pies or 'pasteys' were intended for feasts and showcased the cook's skill. Using luxury ingredients like quails and truffles, these pies spoke of wealth and cosmopolitan tastes—treasured highlights at the banqueting tables of the well-to-do burgomaster or merchant class.
The original recipe would have been prepared using a large wooden bowl for mixing the pastry, a sturdy rolling pin, and a pie or pastey tin likely made from tinned copper or heavy earthenware. Slicing and chopping were done with well-sharpened steel knives, and a robust mortar and pestle was used for pounding bacon or herbs. Baking would take place in a wood-fired brick oven, with careful turning or moving of the pie to ensure even browning. Glazing ('verguld') was achieved by brushing the pastry with egg yolk using a feather or fine brush.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
4
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
- 4 quails, cleaned
- 2 1/2 cups plain flour
- 5 1/3 oz butter, cold, plus 1 oz for finishing
- 2 egg yolks, plus extra for glazing
- 1 pinch salt
- Cold water as needed
- 4 1/4 oz veal escalope (or chicken breast as substitute)
- 1 1/2 oz unsmoked bacon or pancetta, diced
- 1 tbsp beef suet or 1 tbsp bone marrow (or extra butter)
- 8 white mushrooms (about 4 1/4 oz), sliced
- 2-3 truffle mushrooms (or substitute additional mushrooms, optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 small bunch mixed herbs (e.g. thyme, marjoram, bay leaf)
- 2 3/4 oz veal sweetbreads (or chicken thigh, optional)
- 2 rooster combs, poached (optional, or omit)
- 2/3 oz speck or extra bacon, finely minced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the pastry: mix 2 1/2 cups plain flour, 5 1/3 oz cold butter, a pinch of salt, and 2 egg yolks with just enough cold water to bring the dough together.
- Chill, then roll out two-thirds and line a pie dish, reserving the rest for the lid.
- For the filling, remove the entrails from four quails and rinse them.
- Place a thin slice of veal (about 4 1/4 oz), 1 1/2 oz diced unsmoked bacon or pancetta, a spoonful of beef suet or bone marrow, and 8 sliced mushrooms and 2-3 diced truffle mushrooms (or use more mushrooms if truffles are unavailable) into the base.
- Season with salt, pepper, chopped parsley (1 tbsp), and a pinch of mixed fresh herbs like thyme and marjoram.
- Arrange the cleaned quails on top.
- Scatter over extra mushrooms, small pieces of veal sweetbreads (about 2 3/4 oz, or substitute with chicken if unavailable), 2 peeled rooster combs (optional, or omit), truffle slices, finely minced speck (2/3 oz), and top with 1 oz fresh butter.
- Cover with the remaining pastry, glaze with egg yolk, and bake at 350°F for about 90 minutes.
- Remove the herb bundle before serving and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Estimated Calories
780 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and assemble the pie, and around 90 minutes to bake it. This recipe serves 4 people, with each serving having roughly 780 calories.
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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