Recipe Manuscript

Pork Sausages On Toast

Name: Pork Sausages On Toast
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 small pork sausages (about 10-12 cm each); 8 slices of white bread; 20 ml olive oil or pork fat (optional, for roasting if sausages are lean); Salt and pepper, to taste; 350 g potatoes (for mash); 30 ml milk; 20 g butter

"Pork Sausages On Toast"

1917

From the treasured pages of Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias

Written by Michael Gkines

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American European Beginner Breakfast Lunch Snack

Original Recipe • 1917

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

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

Pork Sausages On Toast

"Αὐτὰ τὰ λουκάνικα εἶναι μικρὰ καὶ τὰ ψήνεις εἰς τὸν φοῦρνο. Τὰ σερβίρεις μὲ τόστες κομμένες μικρὲς ὅσον καὶ τὰ λουκάνικα τὰ περιχύνεις μὲ ὀλίγη σάλτσα ἀπὸ τὸ ταψὶ ποῦ τὰ ἔψησες καὶ τὰ γαρνίρεις μὲ πουρὲ πατάτες."

English Translation

"These sausages are small and you bake them in the oven. You serve them with toast cut as small as the sausages, pour a little sauce from the baking tray over them, and garnish with mashed potatoes."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes from this period were typically brief, assuming a degree of cooking knowledge among readers. Ingredient quantities and timings were sparse or omitted, relying on the cook's experience. The Greek script uses early 20th-century spelling conventions (e.g., 'φοῦρνο' for oven, 'ταψὶ' for tray), and the phraseology blends formal and vernacular Greek. Directions are conversational, with an assumption of household adaptation and improvisation.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias (1917)

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

Writer

Michael Gkines

Era

1917

Publisher

Ekdotika Katastemata

Background

A sumptuous journey through early 20th-century Greek-American kitchens, this cookbook offers practical and time-tested recipes for savory dishes and delightful sweets—each crafted to suit the American system, yet infused with Greek tradition. A perfect companion for both family cooks and aspiring chefs.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from a remarkable 1917 Greek-American cookbook, created for Greek immigrants navigating American cuisine. The cookbook aimed to bridge the familiar flavors of home with new culinary techniques. Pork sausages, a staple in both Greek and American kitchens, are here combined with the practicality of toast—a nod to American dining habits. The mash on the side adds comfort and substance, mirroring both Greek and Anglo-American food traditions in the early 20th century diaspora. At this time, recipes were designed to be practical, adaptable, and suitable for both household and professional kitchens, reflecting the melting-pot nature of early 20th-century New York.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1917, cooks would have used a wood or coal-burning oven for roasting. A heavy metal baking tray or earthenware dish would serve for the sausages. Bread may have been toasted either directly under the grill (broiler) or in a cast iron pan over a flame. Mashed potatoes would be prepared with a metal pot and hand masher. Simple utensils—a large spoon for basting, a sharp knife for cutting the toast—rounded out the toolkit.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 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

8 small pork sausages (about 4-5 inches each)
8 slices of white bread
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or pork fat (optional, for roasting if sausages are lean)
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 ounces potatoes (for mash)
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Begin by selecting small pork sausages, about 4-5 inches in length.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Arrange the sausages in a baking tray and roast them until golden and cooked through (about 25-30 minutes).
While the sausages cook, cut slices of bread into small rectangles roughly matching the length of the sausages, then toast them until crisp.
Once the sausages are ready, place each on a piece of toast.
Spoon a little of the pan juices from the roasting tray over each sausage-on-toast.
Garnish the dish with a generous scoop of mashed potatoes, serving immediately while hot.

Estimated Calories

340 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 10 minutes preparing your ingredients and another 30 minutes cooking the sausages. Each serving contains roughly 340 calories. This recipe makes 8 servings—one sausage on toast with mash for each person.

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.