Recipe Manuscript

Sopa De Harina

Name: Sopa De Harina
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 120 grams all-purpose flour; 1 egg yolk; 30 grams lard (or substitute unsalted butter); 30-50 ml water; 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (if quesquite is unavailable); 100 grams Swiss chard (acelgas), chopped; 500 ml water or chicken broth; 30 grams cheese (fresh Mexican cheese or queso fresco, or feta as a substitute); Additional lard or oil for frying

"Flour Soup"

1900

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes

Unknown Author

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

Original Recipe • 1900

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

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

Sopa De Harina

"a una taza de harina una yema de huevo una posa de manteca y una poquita de agua se le pone quesquite y se amasa hasta que crie correa se palotea y se hacen rueditas con el asiento de una tasa y se frien en manteca se hace el caldillo de acelgas y se echan las rueditas y se sazona y se le echa su queso."

English Translation

"For one cup of flour, add one egg yolk, a piece of lard, and a little bit of water. Add quesquite and knead until it becomes elastic. Roll out and cut small rounds using the base of a cup, then fry them in lard. Make a broth with Swiss chard and add the rounds, season, and add cheese."

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe is written in the practical, abbreviated prose of the turn-of-the-century Mexican housewife—concise, with step-by-step instructions dependent on the cook's innate experience. It assumes familiarity with ingredients like manteca (lard) and quesquite, common in Mexican kitchens but less so today. Spelling reflects a phonetic, regional Spanish (e.g., 'posa' for 'porción pequeña' or 'small amount'). No quantitative measurements are given, so interpretation relies on educated guesses and parallels with contemporary dishes. Directions like 'amasa hasta que crie correa' (knead until it has snap or elasticity) point to tactile knowledge rather than precision. The use of cheese and chard gives the finished dish a comforting, rustic character.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes (1900)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1900

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey through the flavors of Mexico, this notebook brims with both traditional and original recipes—from sopa de chile to sangria—inviting you to savor the vibrant tastes and inventive spirit of Mexican home cooking at the turn of the century.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an anonymous Mexican cooking notebook dated to 1900, a treasure trove of traditional fare from a moment when home cooks recorded their culinary wisdom in longhand. Sopa de harina, literally 'flour soup,' reflects the ingenious resourcefulness of Mexican kitchens—transforming humble pantry staples like flour, eggs, and lard into sustaining and flavorful dishes. The manuscript itself catalogues both popular and unique preparations, from 'sopa de chile' to stews of fresh garden produce. Its pages capture the culinary spirit of a nation at the turn of the 20th century, blending indigenous ingredients (like quesquite, an alkaline herb) with Old World techniques.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

At the heart of the 1900 kitchen, a sturdy wooden tabla (work board) and a palo (rolling pin) would have been essential for kneading and rolling out the dough. A small earthenware cazuela or skillet was used for frying the dough rounds in rendered pork lard. A utilitarian pot would suffice for simmering the chard broth, often over a wood-fired stove or brasero. Simple utensils, like a cup for cutting the dough rounds and a hand grater for cheese, rounded out the kit.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 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

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons lard (or substitute unsalted butter)
2-3 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (if quesquite is unavailable)
3.5 ounces Swiss chard (acelgas), chopped
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 ounce cheese (fresh Mexican cheese or queso fresco, or feta as a substitute)
Additional lard or oil for frying

Instructions

To prepare 'Sopa de harina' as described in this charming 1900 Mexican recipe, begin by measuring out 1 cup of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl.
Add one egg yolk, about 2 tablespoons of lard (or unsalted butter if lard isn't available), and just enough water (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) to bring the dough together.
Traditionally, 'quesquite'—an alkaline herb—was used for flavor and a touch of leavening; if not available, a small pinch (1/8 tsp) of baking soda can be substituted.
Knead the mixture until it forms a supple, elastic dough.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to roughly 1/4 inch thick.
Use the base of a cup to cut small rounds from the dough.
These rounds are then fried in hot lard or oil until golden on both sides.
Meanwhile, cook a simple broth by simmering chopped Swiss chard (about 3.5 ounces) in 2 cups of water or chicken broth, seasoning to taste.
Once the fried dough rounds are ready, drop them into this chard broth, allowing them to soak and absorb some of the green flavors.
Finish by sprinkling freshly grated cheese (about 1 ounce) over the soup before serving.

Estimated Calories

260 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need about 15 minutes to prepare the dough and ingredients, plus 20 minutes to fry the dough rounds and cook the soup. Each serving contains about 260 calories. This recipe makes 2 servings.

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.