Recipe Manuscript

Sopa De Tortilla

Name: Sopa De Tortilla
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 medium carrots (150g), finely chopped; 200g green cabbage, finely chopped; 100g green peas, fresh or frozen; 1 liter water for boiling the vegetables; 1 small onion (100g), finely chopped; 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons (30g) lard or unsalted butter; 750ml chicken or vegetable broth; Salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 4-5 corn tortillas (about 120g); 200ml whole milk; 100g queso fresco (or mild feta as a substitute); Pinch of salt; Additional lard or butter for frying

"Tortilla Soup"

1914

From the treasured pages of Libro para Recetas no 2

Written by Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Lunch Dinner

Original Recipe • 1914

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

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

Sopa De Tortilla

"Se cosen zanahorias y repollo picados. y chicharos teniendo cuidado de no echar los cuando esté el agua muy caliente. se dora en manteca cebolla y ajo picados y se le hecha la verdura que ha de estar muy bien cosida y caldo de la olla sal y pimienta. y cuando se sirve se le ponen las bolitas de tortilla que hacen como sigue: se mojan unas tortillas en leche cuando ya estan, moles, se muelen con queso fresco y una poquita de sal a que quede una masa mas durita, se hacen las bolitas y se fríen en manteca."

English Translation

"Carrots and chopped cabbage are cooked, along with peas, being careful not to add the peas when the water is too hot. Onion and chopped garlic are browned in lard, and then the vegetables—which should be very well cooked—and broth from the pot, salt, and pepper are added. When serving, tortilla balls are added, which are made as follows: some tortillas are soaked in milk, and when they are ready, they are ground up with fresh cheese and a little salt to form a firmer dough. The balls are shaped and fried in lard."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in flowing, conversational Spanish, typical of the era, with short, run-on sentences. Spelling reflects early 20th-century orthography, such as 'cosen' (for cocer/cocinar, meaning 'to cook'), and omits some modern punctuation, making the instructions blend together. At the time, there were no standardized measurements; everything was done by look, feel, and habit. Ingredients like lard (manteca) and cheese would have been homemade or bought from local markets, and tortillas hand-formed daily. The recipe’s brevity expects the reader to fill in missing steps, relying on their own knowledge.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libro para Recetas no 2 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libro para Recetas no 2 (1914)

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

Writer

Irazoqui, Susana de Sánchez

Era

1914

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful handwritten compendium of traditional home recipes, this volume offers a charming glimpse into early 20th century Mexican cookery as practiced by women in Durango during a period of transformation.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from early 20th-century Durango, Mexico, a bustling time of change for Mexican households just after the Revolution. It comes from the domestic notebooks of Susana de Sá́nchez Irazoqui’s family. These hand-written cookbooks were passed between women, recording treasured home-cooked recipes. The dish itself beautifully displays the fusion of indigenous ingredients (tortillas and local vegetables) with European techniques (frying in lard, dairy-soaked doughs), representing the culinary creativity and adaptability of home cooks in northern Mexico.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1914 Durango, these cooks worked with wood- or charcoal-fired stoves, enamel or clay pots for boiling, and cast iron pans for frying. They used simple kitchen knives for chopping, hand-carved wooden spoons for stirring, and stone mortars (molcajetes) for mashing. Mixing was often done by hand in earthenware bowls, and frying took place in heavy, shallow metal pans. Measuring was by estimation—'a handful' or 'a little,' so much of the recipe’s success was determined by the cook’s experience and intuition.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 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

2 medium carrots (5.3oz), finely chopped
7oz green cabbage, finely chopped
3.5oz green peas, fresh or frozen
4 1/4 cups water for boiling the vegetables
1 small onion (3.5oz), finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (1oz) lard or unsalted butter
3 1/8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4-5 corn tortillas (about 4.2oz)
3/4 cup whole milk
3.5oz queso fresco (or mild feta as a substitute)
Pinch of salt
Additional lard or butter for frying

Instructions

Begin by finely chopping about 2 medium carrots (5.3oz), 7oz green cabbage, and 3.5oz fresh or frozen green peas.
Cook them together in 4 1/4 cups of simmering water, making sure to add the peas when the water is just warm, not boiling, to preserve their texture and color.
In a seperate pan, gently fry one finely chopped small onion (3.5oz) and 1-2 cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons (1oz) of lard or substitute with unsalted butter until fragrant and golden.
Add the well-cooked vegetables and 3 1/8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (caldo de la olla) to this mixture.
Season everything with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
To make the tortilla balls: Soak 4-5 corn tortillas (about 4.2oz) in 3/4 cup whole milk until soft.
Mash them, then mix in 3.5oz fresh cheese (queso fresco or mild feta) and a small pinch of salt.
Knead to form a sightly firm dough.
Shape into small balls about the size of a walnut and fry them in hot lard or butter until golden and crisp.
To serve, ladle the hot vegetable soup into bowls and add a few of the golden tortilla balls to each, letting them soak up the broth.
Enjoy this early 20th-century comfort with a modern imperial twist.

Estimated Calories

275 per serving

Cooking Estimates

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to prepare ingredients and 45 minutes to cook everything. Each serving contains around 275 calories. The recipe gives 4 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.