Taart Van Leeuwerken
"Pie Of Larks"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Taart Van Leeuwerken
"Maak uwe Leeuwerken netjens klaar, schik se in een Taarte-pan, met een Deeg gemaakt als boven; stoffeer se met Champinjons, vette Levers, gestampt Spek, Merg, een Bondel fyne kruiden, en de gewoone Toebereiding, met Zout en Peper, en dek se met het zelve Deeg; laat se anderhalf uur backen, gaar zynde, soo maak een Bindsel van gesmolten Spek en geroost Meel; doe'er Kappers by, ook Verjuis of Citroen-zap."
English Translation
"Prepare your larks nice and clean, arrange them in a pie pan with a dough made as above; layer them with mushrooms, fatty livers, crushed bacon, marrow, a bundle of fine herbs, and the usual seasonings with salt and pepper, and cover with the same dough; let it bake for one and a half hours. When done, make a sauce of melted bacon and roasted flour; add capers, also verjuice or lemon juice."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is written in a fashion typical of early Dutch cookbooks: brief, practical, and assuming a high level of skill. Ingredient quantities are mostly unlisted, trusting the cook’s experience. Spelling follows archaic Dutch forms (e.g. 'backen' for 'bakken', 'gaar zynde' for 'when done'), and uses direct commands. The instructions are sequential but compact, chaining steps in long sentences with little punctuation.
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 early 18th century Holland, found in a 1725 Dutch cookery book. In this period, elaborate pies (taarten) filled with small game birds, offal, and rich fillings were a mark of luxury and culinary skill. The dish reflects both the abundance of wild birds and the use of decadent ingredients like marrow and liver, cherished in well-off Dutch households. Such pies were often centerpieces at feasts or celebratory meals, combining rustic ingredients with French-influenced pastry technique.
Cooks would have used a mortar and pestle to chop or mash the bacon and marrow, a knife for preparing the birds, and a heavy baking dish or deep pie tin. The pastry would have been rolled with a wooden rolling pin. Baking was done in a wood-fired oven, with careful management of the fire to maintain consistent heat. Spoons and small pans would be used to prepare the sauce.
Prep Time
20 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
- 4–6 prepared larks (or substitute: 2–3 quail or small cornish hens, about 1–1.5 lbs total)
- 9 oz shortcrust pastry, plus extra for top
- 5.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3.5 oz chicken livers, chopped
- 2.5 oz smoked bacon, finely diced
- 1.75 oz beef marrow (substitute with extra bacon if needed)
- 1 small bundle fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 oz bacon fat or unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp (about 0.3 oz) plain flour
- 2 tbsp (about 0.7 oz) capers
- 2 tbsp verjuice (or substitute with lemon juice)
Instructions
- Prepare your lark birds (nowadays, small cornish hens or quail can be used) by cleaning them thoroughly.
- Place them neatly in a pie tin lined with a shortcrust pastry.
- Top with a mixture of sliced mushrooms, diced chicken livers, finely chopped smoked bacon, and bone marrow (beef marrow can be substituted).
- Add a generous bundle of fresh fine herbs (parsley, thyme, and bay leaf tied with string), and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with another layer of pastry.
- Bake the pie at 350°F for about 90 minutes until cooked through.
- When done, make a sauce by melting bacon fat, toasting some flour until golden, and mixing well.
- Add capers and a splash of verjuice (or lemon juice) to the sauce, then pour it over the pie before serving.
Estimated Calories
600 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 20 minutes to prepare all the ingredients, and the pie will need to bake for about 90 minutes until fully cooked. This recipe makes about 4 servings, and each serving contains roughly 600 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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