To Make Veal Fretters
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720 approximately
Unknown Author
To Make Veal Fretters
"Take a Slice of a fillet of Veal of the lean part, take of the skin, chop it small & put it in a Marble Mortar, with an Anchovi, a small bit of bacon, an Egg; season with Pepper, Salt, nutmeg, & beat all well together, then make it up into cakes the Size of brain cakes, & fry them in a Stew-pan till they are a lightish brown, turn them in the pan, lay a litle Shred parsley in the middle of the top of each of them, drain them well from fat, & serve them with either white or brown sauce as you chuse."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is typical of early 18th-century English cookery manuscripts—written for experienced home cooks or kitchen staff, using imperative verbs and assuming a certain amount of technique. Details like temperatures or exact timings are omitted, expecting the cook to judge by appearance and experience. Words such as 'Anchovi' and 'Stew-pan' reflect period spelling and terminology. The phrase 'cakes the Size of brain cakes' refers to calf’s brain fritters, a benchmark familiar to cooks of the time but less so today.
Title
Cookbook of 1720 approximately (1720)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1720
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into early 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary tome brims with recipes, culinary wisdom, and the flavors of a bygone era—offering food enthusiasts a taste of both tradition and intrigue.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from around 1720, a time when English cookery was beginning to blend influences from Continental Europe with native traditions. Veal was a popular meat for the wealthy classes, and the inclusion of anchovy and bacon for seasoning reflects a growing taste for umami and richness in savory dishes. The original context suggests this was a refined dish, perhaps served at an elegant supper or as part of a larger meal, demonstrating both the cook's skill in finely mincing meats and in artful presentation.
The ingredients would have been minced using a sharp knife and then pounded into a cohesive paste with a marble mortar and pestle, a staple of early 18th-century kitchens for finely blending meat and seasoning. The cakes would be shaped by hand and fried in a shallow, heavy stew-pan over a wood or charcoal fire, and then flipped with an iron spatula or spoon. The cook would use a knife for shredding herbs and draining was done on thick linen or paper, as kitchen paper towels did not exist.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 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
- 7oz lean veal fillet (skin removed)
- 1 anchovy fillet (about 0.2oz)
- 0.5oz unsmoked bacon (or pancetta as substitute)
- 1 medium egg
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons shredded fresh parsley (for garnish)
- Vegetable oil or butter for frying
- Optional: white or brown sauce to serve
Instructions
- Begin by taking around 7oz of lean veal fillet and remove any skin or sinew.
- Finely chop the veal and place it into a food processor (in place of a marble mortar) with one anchovy fillet (about 0.2oz), 0.5oz of unsmoked bacon, and one medium egg.
- Season with a generous pinch of black pepper, a pinch of salt, and a small grating (about 1/8 teaspoon) of fresh nutmeg.
- Blend until you have a smooth paste.
- Take spoonfuls of the mixture and shape into small cakes, roughly the size of a golf ball and then gently flattened (about 2 inches across and 0.5 inch thick).
- Heat a non-stick or heavy-bottomed frying pan with a thin layer of oil over medium heat.
- Fry the cakes on both sides until they become a light golden brown, turning them carefully.
- When flipping, place a little shredded fresh parsley (about a teaspoon) on top of each cake to garnish.
- Drain the cooked fritters on kitchen paper to remove excess fat.
- Serve immediately, with your choice of a simple white sauce (such as a basic béchamel) or a brown gravy.
Estimated Calories
120 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and chopping the ingredients takes a bit longer, but cooking is quick because the cakes are small. Each veal cake is a single serving, and the calorie estimate is per cake.
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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