Recipe Manuscript

A. Relleno De Rabioles

Name: A. Relleno De Rabioles
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 100g pork longaniza sausage (substitute: spicy pork sausage if unavailable); 100g cooked ham; 100g chorizo (Spanish or Mexican style, as available); 100g chicken giblets (or substitute with chicken liver/offal); 30g butter or lard; 1 small onion (about 80g), finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 small tomato (about 80g), diced; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp dried thyme; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; Pinch of mixed ground spices (clove, cinnamon, or allspice); Salt and pepper to taste; 30ml water

"A. Ravioli Filling"

1886

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela

Written by Heredia y Cervantes, Manuela

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1886

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

A. Relleno De Rabioles

"Picase bien longaniza, jamon, chorizo, menudos y menudo de gallina; todo bien menudito. Ponese una casuela al fuego un poco de manteca, friendo alli cebolla, ajo, y jitomate menudito, oregano, tomillo y peregil; ya que este, se le agregan los demás ingredientes con pocas especias finas molidas; se deja todo sazonar con un poco de agua; ha de quedar pues seco para que sirva de relleno."

English Translation

"7a. Ravioli Filling. Finely chop sausage, ham, chorizo, giblets, and chicken gizzard; all very finely. Put a pan on the heat with a bit of lard, frying onion, garlic, and finely chopped tomato, oregano, thyme, and parsley there; once ready, add the other ingredients with a little ground fine spices; let everything season with a bit of water; it should end up dry so it can be used as filling."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the fluid, conversational style of the 19th century, omitting precise measurements and relying on intuition and experiential knowledge. Ingredients are described by type ('longaniza', 'menudos'), reflecting locally available produce and proteins. Text like 'picase bien' urges the cook to chop ingredients finely, a crucial instruction when aiming for a cohesive filling. Words like 'jitomate' (a term specifically for red tomato in Mexican Spanish) and 'menudos' (giblets) may be unfamiliar to modern readers, and spellings reflect period usage (i.e., 'cebuolla' in some texts instead of 'cebolla'). The recipe's directive structure expects an experienced cook who can interpret the process without step-by-step timing or explicit quantities.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Notebook: Manuscript de Manuela (1886)

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

Writer

Heredia y Cervantes, Manuela

Era

1886

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming 19th-century manuscript brimming with traditional Mexican recipes—think Sopa de chícharos, Relleno de ravioles, Sopa de lentejas, and Pastel de tuétanos—this notebook is a flavorful journey into Mexico’s culinary heritage, crafted by a masterful home cook.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from an 1886 Mexican manuscript cookbook compiled by Manuela Heredia y Cervantes, featuring a wealth of home-style, regional Mexican dishes from the late 19th century. In a world before standardized measurements and widespread refrigeration, cooks relied on a lively blend of preserved meats, local poultry, and aromatic herbs for nuance and richness. Recipes like this 'Relleno de rabioles' reveal the cross-cultural influences in Mexican cuisine—combining European (notably Italian and Spanish) pasta traditions with local tastes and available ingredients. The inclusion of sausages, ham, and spiced chorizo, mingled with traditional chicken offal, highlights the inventive thrift and flavor-packed cooking of the era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back then, the cook would have used a sharp knife and wooden chopping board for all the mincing and dicing. The filling was likely cooked in a clay or heavy iron cazuela over a wood-fired or charcoal stove. A wooden spoon would have stirred the aromatic mixture, and herbs were probably cut with simple kitchen shears or scissors. The process relied on careful tending and a good hand for regulating heat. To stuff and shape the pasta, cooks would use their hands or perhaps a small spoon, with the ravioli cut and sealed by hand or with a simple pastry cutter.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 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

3.5 oz pork longaniza sausage (substitute: spicy pork sausage if unavailable)
3.5 oz cooked ham
3.5 oz chorizo (Spanish or Mexican style, as available)
3.5 oz chicken giblets (or substitute with chicken liver/offal)
2 tbsp (about 1 oz) butter or lard
1 small onion (about 3 oz), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small tomato (about 3 oz), diced
0.5 tsp dried oregano
0.5 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Pinch of mixed ground spices (clove, cinnamon, or allspice)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp (about 1 fl oz) water

Instructions

To prepare this 19th-century Mexican ravioli filling in a modern kitchen, finely chop about 3.5 ounces each of pork sausage (longaniza), cooked ham, and spicy chorizo.
Mince 3.5 ounces of chicken giblets or substitute with chicken liver if unavailable, along with 3.5 ounces of any other chicken offal you may find.
In a pan, melt around 2 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) of butter or lard over medium heat.
Add one small onion, two garlic cloves, and one small ripe tomato, all finely diced.
Sprinkle in about half a teaspoon each of dried oregano, thyme, and one tablespoon of fresh parsley.
Sauté until the vegetables soften.
Stir in the chopped meats and a pinch of mixed ground spices—think cinnamon, clove, or allspice, but keep them subtle.
Pour in just enough water (about 2 tablespoons) to moisten but allow the mixture to cook until almost dry; this should take 10–15 minutes.
The filling should be well-cooked, aromatic, and just moist enough to bind, ready to fill homemade ravioli or empanadas.

Estimated Calories

250 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It usually takes about 15 minutes to chop and prepare all the ingredients, and another 15 minutes to cook the filling until it is aromatic and just moist enough to bind. This recipe makes enough filling for about 4 servings, with each serving containing approximately 250 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.