Salt Cod Fritters (Pastéis de Bacalhau)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 23, 2009
Yield
Makes 24 fritters
Ingredients
1 pound salt cod, checked for bones and rinsed thoroughly12 ounces russet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup whole or low-fat milk ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten⅛ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 - 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Before You Begin
Look for salt cod in fish markets and some well-stocked supermarkets. It is shelf stable and typically packaged in a wooden box or plastic bag. Be sure to change the water when soaking the salt cod as directed in step 1, or the fritters will taste unpalatably salty. Serve with Garlic Mayonnaise or Romesco Sauce.
Instructions
- Submerge the salt cod in a large bowl of cool water; cover and refrigerate until the cod is soft enough to break apart easily with your fingers, about 24 hours, changing the water twice to rid the fish of excess salt.
- Drain the salt cod, discarding the water. Place the salt cod and potato in a large saucepan and cover by 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the cod and potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the béchamel is thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Drain the cod and potatoes thoroughly, then transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the cod and potatoes into small pieces. Stir in the béchamel, olive oil, egg, baking powder, parsley, salt, and pepper until well incorporated and the mixture has a creamy consistency. (At this point, the mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Let stand for 30 minutes before frying.)
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a large paper towel–lined plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Measure 3 inches of vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees. (Use an instant-read thermometer that registers high temperatures or clip a candy/deep-fat thermometer onto the side of the pan.) Using two spoons, carefully scoop 12 golf ball–sized fritters into the hot oil. Fry, stirring to prevent them from sticking, until golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer the fritters to the plate in the oven using a wire spider or slotted spoon. Return the oil to 375 degrees and repeat with the remaining cod mixture. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.
Yield
Makes 24 frittersIngredients
1 pound salt cod, checked for bones and rinsed thoroughly
12 ounces russet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole or low-fat milk
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 - 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Ingredients
1 pound salt cod, checked for bones and rinsed thoroughly
12 ounces russet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole or low-fat milk
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 - 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Ingredients
1 pound salt cod, checked for bones and rinsed thoroughly
12 ounces russet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup whole or low-fat milk
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 - 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Why This Recipe Works
Most salt cod fritter recipes we consulted indicated that salt cod requires 24 hours of soaking in several changes of cold water for it to shed its salt and properly rehydrate, and our tests indicated that this step was indeed necessary. Next, we tested different types of potatoes and found that high-starch potatoes—i.e., russet potatoes—yielded the lightest, creamiest fritters. We tried different proportions while making a béchamel sauce to bind the two ingredients until we got the formula right, and then added an egg to our salt cod fritters recipe to give the fritters some structure.
Before You Begin
Look for salt cod in fish markets and some well-stocked supermarkets. It is shelf stable and typically packaged in a wooden box or plastic bag. Be sure to change the water when soaking the salt cod as directed in step 1, or the fritters will taste unpalatably salty. Serve with Garlic Mayonnaise or Romesco Sauce.
Instructions
- Submerge the salt cod in a large bowl of cool water; cover and refrigerate until the cod is soft enough to break apart easily with your fingers, about 24 hours, changing the water twice to rid the fish of excess salt.
- Drain the salt cod, discarding the water. Place the salt cod and potato in a large saucepan and cover by 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the cod and potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the béchamel is thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Drain the cod and potatoes thoroughly, then transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the cod and potatoes into small pieces. Stir in the béchamel, olive oil, egg, baking powder, parsley, salt, and pepper until well incorporated and the mixture has a creamy consistency. (At this point, the mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Let stand for 30 minutes before frying.)
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a large paper towel–lined plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Measure 3 inches of vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees. (Use an instant-read thermometer that registers high temperatures or clip a candy/deep-fat thermometer onto the side of the pan.) Using two spoons, carefully scoop 12 golf ball–sized fritters into the hot oil. Fry, stirring to prevent them from sticking, until golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer the fritters to the plate in the oven using a wire spider or slotted spoon. Return the oil to 375 degrees and repeat with the remaining cod mixture. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.
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