Pataniscas de Bacalhau

Ingredients

• 400 g salt cod (bacalhau à Brás or similar), dried and salted
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 2 whole large eggs
• 200 ml whole milk
• 30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 800 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the 400 g dried salt cod in a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Let soak for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water 3 to 4 times during soaking — you're rinsing away the salt and rehydrating the fish. You'll know it's ready when it no longer tastes aggressively salty and the flesh is pliable.

2. 2

   Drain the soaked cod and place it in a pot of cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes — the water should barely bubble, not boil, so the delicate flesh doesn't fall apart. The cod is done when you can easily flake it with a fork.

3. 3

   Drain the cooked cod and let it cool on a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, carefully flake the flesh with your fingertips, breaking it into bite-sized pieces and discarding any small bones or tough skin as you go. You should end up with about 300 g of fluffy, tender flaked cod.

4. 4

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 200 g all-purpose flour, the 2 eggs, and 200 ml whole milk until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps — the consistency should be like thick pancake batter. This is your base.

5. 5

   Fold the flaked cod gently into the batter with a rubber spatula, then fold in 30 g freshly chopped parsley and the 3 minced garlic cloves. Season with 0.5 teaspoon sea salt and 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and fold once more until everything is evenly distributed and the batter is thick and chunky.

6. 6

   Pour 800 ml extra-virgin olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet. Set the heat to medium-high and let the oil preheat for 3 to 4 minutes — test the temperature by dropping a tiny pinch of batter into the oil; it should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface within 1 second. If it stays at the bottom, wait a bit longer. The oil should reach about 160 to 170°C (320 to 340°F).

7. 7

   Using a wet spoon (wet it under cold water to prevent sticking), gently drop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil — work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Each fritter should be roughly the size of a golf ball. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring them gently with a slotted spoon, until they are deep golden brown all over. Listen for a steady, gentle sizzle; if the oil is crackling too loudly, lower the heat slightly.

8. 8

   Using a slotted spoon, transfer each batch of fried pataniscas to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. The residual heat will continue to crisp them slightly as they cool. Repeat with the remaining batter.

9. 9

   Transfer the pataniscas to a serving platter while they are still warm — they stay crispy on the outside and tender inside for about 10 minutes. Serve them as is, or with a small bowl of aioli or lemon wedges on the side for dipping. These are best enjoyed immediately, eaten by hand as a snack or appetizer.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• pot (at least 4-quart capacity)
• cutting board
• whisk
• rubber spatula
• heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet (at least 10 inches diameter)
• instant-read thermometer
• slotted spoon
• paper towels
• serving platter

More recipes like this

• 

  Jjamppong (Korean Seafood Soup)

  40 min

• 

  Golden Hush Puppies

  25 min

• 

  Japanese Breakfast with Salmon & Egg

  25 min

• 

  Yangzhou Fried Rice with Pork

  35 min