Recipe Manuscript

Papas Rellenas

Name: Papas Rellenas
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 large round potatoes (about 1.2 kg total); 30g butter or lard (plus extra for frying); 1 tablespoon (15g) salt; A small bunch mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf); 150g beef, finely minced; 50g ham, diced; 2 eggs, hard-boiled; 40g breadcrumbs; Handful fresh parsley, chopped; 300g tomatoes (fresh or canned, peeled and chopped); Extra salt and pepper to taste

"Stuffed Potatoes"

1890

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6

Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

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

Original Recipe • 1890

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

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

Papas Rellenas

"Se escojen papas grandes de buena clase y las más redondas; se pelan, se ponen á cocer con bastante sal, unas yerbas de olor y una poca de manteca en una olla. Cuando ya están bien cocidas, se les va cortando una coronita, con mucho cuidado para que no se desbaraten, se les hace un hueco del tamaño suficiente y se rellenan con carne picada, jamón, huevo cocido, perejil y pan rayado, todo esto frito. Se le añade un trocito de mantequilla y después de colocar las tapas que se les quitaron, se ponen en una cacerola con manteca á que se frían y al servirlas se bañan con una salsa de gitomate bien refrita."

English Translation

"STUFFED POTATOES. Choose large, good-quality, and the roundest potatoes; peel them and cook them with plenty of salt, some aromatic herbs, and a little lard in a pot. When they are well cooked, carefully cut off a little crown from each one, making sure they don't fall apart, hollow them out enough to make space, and fill them with minced meat, ham, hard-boiled egg, parsley, and breadcrumbs, all fried together. Add a small piece of butter, and after replacing the little caps that were removed, put them in a pan with lard to fry. When serving, pour well-fried tomato sauce over them."

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe is written in the elegant, conversational Spanish typical of late 19th-century cookbooks, interspersed with terms like 'yerbas de olor' (aromatic herbs) or 'manteca' (which could mean either lard or butter, depending on the household). Ingredients are described by sight and feel rather than precise measurements, reflecting a time when home cooks relied more on intuition and experience. Some spellings, such as 'gitomate' for 'jitomate' (tomato), are now considered archaic or regional. Directions assume the cook's familiarity with methods like frying, making a 'well,' or preparing a quick pan sauce, making the instructions both open-ended and adaptable.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6 (1890)

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

Writer

Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Era

1890

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful pocket-sized volume from the famed Cocina en el bolsillo series, offering an array of tempting recipes for every occasion—a true culinary companion for the creative home cook of yesteryear.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This hearty recipe for "Papas Rellenas" hails from late 19th-century Mexico, specifically from the popular booklet series "La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6" (1890) by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo. These booklets, sold on street corners, offered practical and affordable recipes for home cooks navigating the modernizing foodscape of urban Mexico City. The dish captures the eclectic influences of the era: European techniques like stuffing and frying, mixed with humble, local ingredients such as potatoes and native tomatoes. In a time before widespread refrigeration and convenience foods, every component—be it remnant meats or day-old bread—had its place, showing resourcefulness and ingenuity.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 1890s, cooks would have prepared this recipe over a wood or charcoal stove, using a heavy clay or iron pot to boil the potatoes and a deep cazuela (earthenware casserole) or metal frying pan for frying the stuffed potatoes. Knives for peeling and chopping, a large spoon for hollowing out the potatoes, and a simple pestle and mortar for herbs would all have been on hand. Presentation would involve a large serving platter, with the potatoes kept warm near the hearth and the tomato sauce ladled just before serving.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

45 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

6 large round potatoes (about 2 lbs 10 oz total)
1 oz butter or lard (plus extra for frying)
1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) salt
A small bunch mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
5 oz beef, finely minced
1 3/4 oz ham, diced
2 eggs, hard-boiled
1 1/2 oz breadcrumbs
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
10 1/2 oz tomatoes (fresh or canned, peeled and chopped)
Extra salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Begin by selecting 6 large, round potatoes (each about 7 oz) of a good variety suitable for baking.
Peel the potatoes and place them in a large pot of cold water.
Add 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of salt, a small bunch of aromatic herbs (like parsley and thyme), and 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of lard or butter.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are very tender but still hold their shape—about 20–25 minutes.
Carefully cut a small 'lid' off the top of each potato.
Using a spoon, gently hollow out a well in the center of each, leaving a wall about 3/8 inch thick.
For the filling, sauté 5 oz finely chopped beef and 1 3/4 oz diced ham in 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of lard or butter until browned.
Add 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, and 1 1/2 oz breadcrumbs.
Cook gently until well combined and fragrant.
Stuff each potato with the filling.
Dot a small piece of butter atop the filling, replace the potato 'lids', and arrange the stuffed potatoes in a wide pan with another tablespoon (0.5 oz) of lard or butter.
Fry over medium heat, occasionally turning gently, until lightly golden on all sides.
Serve hot, poured over with a well-reduced tomato sauce made by frying 10 1/2 oz of ripe tomatoes (or canned, drained) in a little butter or lard until thick and concentrated.

Estimated Calories

340 per serving

Cooking Estimates

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare and another 45 minutes to cook. Each serving is one stuffed potato, with around 340 calories per serving. The recipe makes 6 stuffed potatoes.

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.