Pataniscas de Bacalhau

Name: Pataniscas de Bacalhau
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 400g Bacalhau (Salted Cod), soaked and desalted, skinless/boneless, flaked; 2 large Eggs; 150g All-purpose Flour; 150ml Water, cold; 1 small Onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh, finely chopped; 1 clove of Garlic, minced; 1/4 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 500ml Vegetable Oil, for shallow-frying; Some Salt, only if needed, after tasting the cod

Pataniscas de Bacalhau are golden, crisp Portuguese cod fritters with a tender, flavorful interior — perfect as a snack, appetizer, or part of a meal. Flaked salt cod is combined with aromatic onion, garlic and parsley, bound with eggs and flour into a light batter, then fried until irresistibly crisp. Serve hot with a wedge of lemon or a simple salad.

Pataniscas de Bacalhau are golden, crisp Portuguese cod fritters with a tender, flavorful interior — perfect as a snack, appetizer... Show more

Traditional Portuguese Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Rating

4.1

Time

35 min

Price

1,51 €

Calories

501 kcal

low calorie

high protein

low sugar

comfort food

Method

Prep the cod

Flake the Bacalhau (Salted Cod) into small bite-size pieces, checking for any stray bones or tough bits as you go. Finely chop the Onion and the Parsley, and mince the Garlic very finely so it blends smoothly into the batter. Taste a tiny piece of cod; if it still seems under-seasoned, add just a small pinch of Salt, but keep in mind that the fish is already salted.

Make the batter

In a large bowl, whisk the Eggs with the All-purpose Flour and the Water (cold) until you have a smooth, thick batter with no dry pockets. Stir in the cod, onion, parsley, garlic, and Pepper (Black) until everything is evenly distributed. The batter should be thick enough to mound on a spoon; if it seems too stiff, add a splash more water, and if it feels loose, add a little more flour.

Heat the oil

Pour the Vegetable Oil into a wide skillet to a depth of about 1 cm and warm it over medium heat until it shimmers. Test it with a tiny drop of batter; it should sizzle immediately and start setting at the edges.

Fry the fritters

Use a spoon to drop heaped spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, then gently flatten each one a little with the back of the spoon. Fry in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until the fritters are deep golden and crisp at the edges. Lift them out and drain them on paper towels while you finish the remaining batter.

Serve hot

Transfer the pataniscas to a serving plate and serve them right away while they are still hot and crisp. They’re best eaten fresh from the pan, when the outside is crunchy and the inside stays soft and savory.