POLPETTE DI BACCALA` E PATATE

SALT COD AND POTATO FRITTERS makes approx. 30

TO PREPARE THE BACCALA` START AT LEAST 48 HOURS BEFORE (makes about 4 cups)

In Italy, the term baccalà usually refers to salt cod, however in Venice it can also mean Norwegian stockfish. When you buy the dried variety you will have to soak it in water for two days to hydrate it, changing the water occasionally, but at least 5 times a day. Luckily, you can usually buy it ready hydrated as I did froml Mercato on Lower North East Road.

• 500 g boneless baccalà (salt cod), soaked as described above
• milk 
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 peppercorn 
• 400 g potato
• 2 plump garlic cloves, finely minced 
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• if necessary, up to 1/2 cup poaching water from cooking the baccalà 
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• sunflower oil for deep frying
   

1. When the baccalà is sufficiently soaked, cut it into small pieces and put them in a saucepan or deep skillet with milk or water to cover. Add the bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, set the lid ajar (rest it on a wooden spoon set on the rim of the pan), and cook at a steady bubbling boil for 20 minutes or more, until the cod is easy to flake but still has body and shape. Don't let it start to break apart. Lift it out of the cooking water, and let it drain and cool in a colander. Reserve a cup of the cooking water
2. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and any bones and roughly mince in a food processor
3. Meanwhile, rinse the potato but leave it whole and unpeeled. Put it in a small pot covered with cold water. Bring to the boil, and cook steadily until you can easily pierce the potato with a knife blade. Let it cool, and peel it. Mash until smooth
4. Tip the fish into a bowl and mix in the potato. Add the minced garlic, and mix well
5. Add the parsley, eggs, nutmeg. Form a small amount of mixture into a small oval and test fry in oil. See if it holds its shape and taste for salt and pepper. Adjust if necessary
6. At this point the baccala` mixture should be smooth and fluffy, almost like mashed potatoes but with texture. If it is very dense, you can thin it with the cooking water (but be careful: too much water will make it too soft)
7. Shape into oval quenelles using two wet spoons. Put in the fridge for half an hour
8. Heat the oil to about 180C and carefully fry each quenelle until golden on all sides
9. Serve hot or at room temperature