Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Dish Of Oysters

Name: To Make A Dish Of Oysters
Prep time: PTPT40M
Cook time: PTPT50M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.2 kg (about 2 quarts) plain wheat flour; 900 g (2 pounds) unsalted butter, cold, plus extra for greasing; 2 large eggs; Cold water (as needed, approximately 150–250 ml); 900 g oysters, shucked and lightly cooked; 100 g beef or veal marrow, diced (or substitute with additional unsalted butter); Yolks of 3–4 hard-boiled eggs, crumbled; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, mace, white pepper, or cloves (optional, to taste); 125 ml dry white wine; 100 g unsalted butter (for sauce); Juice of 1 lemon; 50 ml fresh orange juice

1738

From the treasured pages of Cookery book of Ann Goodenough

Written by Ann Goodenough

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1738

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make A Dish Of Oysters

"Take two quarts of Flower and two pounds of buller crumble the buller into the Flower then take two eggs and deale cold water make it up into a rasonable Solt past then roule it into two Ledds have your oysters ready porboyled butterr a dish and put in your past then put into it your Oysters Lumpe of marrow yolke of hard eggs Some Spice it you please. Soe close it up with the other Lead when it is baked cutt the top upon and have ready made Sauce with white wine and butterr joices of Lemons and oringes"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is given in dense, continuous prose, typical of eighteenth-century manuscript cookery books. Quantities are often approximate or implied—e.g., 'reasonable solt past' means a moderately firm, salted dough. Spelling is variable ('Flower' for flour, 'buller' for butter, 'Ledds' for lids, 'past' for pastry, 'porboyled' for parboiled). Instructions rely on shared domestic knowledge, omitting oven temperatures and precise timings, as cooks would have judged doneness and seasoning by feel and taste. Optionality ('Some Spice it you please') is stated plainly, giving the cook license to adjust to preference or availability.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery book of Ann Goodenough - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery book of Ann Goodenough (1738)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Ann Goodenough

Era

1738

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey into the kitchens of early 18th-century England, this collection captures the flair and flavors of its time with recipes crafted by the inventive Ann Goodenough. Expect a charming medley of hearty roasts, comforting pies, and time-honored confections, perfect for those wishing to dine as they did in Georgian days.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This oyster pie recipe comes from the manuscript cookery book of Ann Goodenough, written sometime between 1700 and 1775—a period of significant change in English domestic cooking. At this time, oysters were plentiful and relatively inexpensive, making them a common feature in pies and stews for both the wealthy and middling classes. Rich pies such as this were often served at elaborate dinners or holiday feasts, showcasing both the cook’s skill and the availability of luxurious ingredients such as marrow and citrus. The recipe reflects the evolution of pastry techniques and pie-making, bridging traditional medieval pies with more modern (Georgian-era) approaches to pastry and seasoning. The inclusion of citrus juice in the sauce signals access to imported goods in eighteenth-century England.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In Ann Goodenough’s era, cooks would have used a large wooden dough trough or bowl for mixing pastry, a pastry board and rolling pin for shaping, and a sharp knife for trimming. Oysters would be shucked with a stout knife, and the marrow scooped from beef bones with a marrow spoon or small blade. Pies were baked in deep earthenware or metal dishes, placed in wood-fired ovens or ‘beehive’ hearths. Sauces were cooked in small copper or bell metal pans over gentle heat, with a wooden spoon for stirring. Hard-boiled eggs would be prepared in a lidded pot over the coals.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Servings

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

2.6 lbs (about 2 quarts) plain wheat flour
2 lbs (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, plus extra for greasing
2 large eggs
Cold water (as needed, approximately 2/3 to 1 cup)
2 lbs oysters, shucked and lightly cooked
3.5 oz beef or veal marrow, diced (or substitute with additional unsalted butter)
Yolks of 3–4 hard-boiled eggs, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, mace, white pepper, or cloves (optional, to taste)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (for sauce)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Instructions

Begin by combining approximately 2.6 pounds (2 quarts) of plain wheat flour with 2 pounds (4 sticks) of cold unsalted butter, rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Beat two large eggs and add them to the mixture, then gradually add very cold water, mixing until you have a reasonably firm, slightly salty pastry dough—not unlike shortcrust pastry today.
Split the dough in half, roll out each piece to make two large circles or 'lids.' Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Lightly butter a deep pie dish, then line it with one rolled-out pastry piece.
Drain and pat dry about 2 pounds of shucked oysters (lightly pre-cook or parboil as desired); arrange these in the pastry shell.
Dot with a handful of diced marrow (if available; otherwise, substitute with small cubes of bone marrow or even unsalted butter), and scatter over the crumbled yolks of 3–4 hard-boiled eggs.
If you wish, season the oysters with a pinch each of nutmeg, mace, white pepper, or cloves for period-appropriate spicing.
Cover with the second pastry 'lid,' sealing the edges well.
Bake until the pastry is golden and crisp (about 45–60 minutes).
Meanwhile, for the sauce: melt together 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, 1/2 cup dry white wine, the juice of one lemon, and a few tablespoons of orange juice over gentle heat.
Once the pie is baked, cut a hole in the top crust and pour in the warm sauce before serving.

Estimated Calories

700 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the pastry and filling takes about 40 minutes, and baking the pie takes another 50 minutes. Each serving of this rich pie is quite filling and contains around 700 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.