Recipe Manuscript

Pastel De Papas

Name: Pastel De Papas
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT40M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes; 120 ml whole milk; 60 g granulated sugar; 500 g puff pastry (store-bought or homemade); 100 g raisins; 40 g butter or 30 ml neutral oil (for greasing and brushing); Pinch of salt (optional, for dough)

"Potato Pie"

1886

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

Written by Heredia y Cervantes, Manuela

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Beginner Dessert

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

Pastel De Papas

"Se hacen cocer las papas, mientras se cuecen se prepara la maza, del mismo modo que la anterior; una vez cocidas las papas se pelan, y se muelen muy bien, revolviendole leche y azucar: Se pone tambien una capa encima de la tortera, se le pone la papa encima y se le pone otra capa encima de las pasas, enroscando los estremos de la capa ó de la orilla de la tortera, labrandolo al director con los dedos, untandole igualmente ó manteca alr. ó mas bien aceite encima y se pone al horno."

English Translation

"Boil the potatoes; while they are cooking, prepare the dough in the same way as before. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them and mash them very well, mixing in milk and sugar. Also, put a layer (of dough) on the bottom of the baking dish, place the potato mixture on top, and put another layer on top with raisins, twisting the ends of the layer or the edge of the dish, shaping it as desired with your fingers. Also, spread lard or, better yet, oil on top and place in the oven."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe, written in period Spanish, uses broad, process-oriented instructions rather than precise measurements, reflecting a reliance on the cook’s experience and intuition. Directions such as 'add sugar and milk' and 'labrarlo al director con los dedos' encourage hands-on craftsmanship, leaving details like exact quantities and baking time to the cook's judgment. Worth noting are archaic spellings ('maza' for 'masa', 'cuecen' for 'cocen') and occasional abbreviations, hallmarks of practical manuscript style. The structure is direct, succinct, and assumes fundamental kitchen knowledge.

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, 'Pastel de Papas', hails from an 1886 Mexican manuscript by Manuela Heredia y Cervantes. The notebook showcases the rich culinary heritage of 19th-century Mexico, blending European techniques—like puff pastry—with distinctly local practices and ingredients. The inclusion of potatoes, which became staple fare after their introduction from South America, and the use of sweet fillings, speak to an era of culinary experimentation and cross-cultural fusion. Manuscript cookbooks like this one were handwritten treasures, passed down through families, encapsulating both everyday fare and celebratory dishes. Dishes such as this potato pastry, with subtle sweetness and rich texture, reflect the domestic creativity and resourcefulness characteristic of Mexican kitchens of the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 19th century Mexican kitchen, potatoes would be boiled in a heavy pot over a wood or charcoal fire. Potatoes were mashed using a wooden pestle, spoon, or even a sturdy fork. Pastry was rolled out with a rolling pin—often a simple wooden rod on a flat table. Tins or thick ceramic dishes (referred to as 'torteras') served for baking, and the pastry was shaped by hand. Baking was done in a masonry or cast iron oven, fueled with wood or charcoal, which required skill to regulate temperature.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 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

2.2 lbs potatoes
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1.1 lbs puff pastry (store-bought or homemade)
3.5 oz raisins
2.8 tbsp butter or 2 tbsp neutral oil (for greasing and brushing)
Pinch of salt (optional, for dough)

Instructions

Begin by boiling approximately 2.2 lbs of potatoes in their skins until tender, then peel and mash them smoothly.
While the potatoes cook, prepare puff pastry dough (about 1.1 lbs) using modern ready-made sheets or by mixing flour, water, butter, and salt, following a method similar to traditional puff pastry.
To the mashed potatoes, add about 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of sugar, mixing until creamy.
Grease a baking dish with butter or oil, and lay a sheet of pastry to cover the bottom.
Spread the sweetened mashed potatoes over the base.
Sprinkle a generous handful (about 3.5 oz) of raisins evenly over the potatoes.
Cover with a second pastry sheet, pressing and curling the edges decoratively with your fingers, as historically described.
Brush the top with a little more butter or oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F until the pastry is golden and crisp, about 35-40 minutes.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the potatoes, pastry, and filling, and 40 minutes to bake the dish. Each serving is about 350 calories when the recipe is cut into 8 portions.

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.