Bacalhau Torte (Codfish Casserole)

Codfish, known as Bacalhau in Portugal and Bacalao in other parts the world, is a low-fat, low-oil fish that has been preserved through an ancient preservation technique known as salting. Salt curing is an ancient food storage technique used before refrigeration. Because of the salt curing, you can’t eat dried cod as-is; you need to soak it in water for several days, changing the water several times to leach the salt out of the codfish. Even though much of the salt is removed over the course of 36 to 48 hours, the codfish is still saltier than fresh fish. Because of this, Bacalhau is often served with bland, starchy food—such as potatoes or rice—as a sort of culinary grounding for the salty codfish.

In Portugal, Bacalhau is a culinary staple, and just about every restaurant will serve some version of it. In fact, there are over a thousand recipes for codfish in Portugal! BecauseBrazil was a Portuguese colony, Brazilians speak Portuguese and eat a lot of Bacalhau.

Codfish balls, Bolinho de Bacalhau in Portuguese, are available in every restaurant, snack bar, and food stand in Portugal. Codfish balls are made from mashed potatoes, codfish and spices and then deep fried, similar to the Spanish croquettes. Codfish balls are as much a Portuguese national food as port wine and custard tarts.

NOTE: The codfish takes 2 days to de-salt so please plan this recipe in advance! Also note that sweet potatoes can be substituted for regular Yukon-style potatoes, which I like just as much, as the slight sweetness of the potato is a great balance for the saltiness of the cod.

1 lb. codfish
2 lbs. potatoes (regular or sweet)
1/2 cup Milk
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 cup Parsley, coursely chopped
3 Hardboiled eggs, sliced
1 cup Kalamata or black olives
​1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Days 1 and 2:
Rinse the codfish under running water, using your fingers to scrape off the salt. Then, once the salt has been removed, soak the codfish in water for 36-48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. If you don’t have a full 2 days, try running tap water over the cod for at least 15 minutes. I haven’t personally tried this method but I’ve read it works. Taste the codfish before you use it to make sure it is desalted enough.

Day 3:
​Peel potatoes and boil in salted water until soft. Drain and add milk and butter. Mash until smooth. Let cool to thicken.

Spray a springform pan with nonstick spray. Spoon about 1/2” of potatoes into the bottom of the pan. Top with parsley. Add a layer of hardboiled egg slices. Top with olives (these can be sliced for a smoother end product).

Once the codfish is hydrated, it should be easy to remove the bones. Then flake with a fork and add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Layer the codfish on top of the olives. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool for 30 minutes before releasing from the Springform pan. Garnish with rosemary, basil or cherry tomatoes.

Cut with a sharp knife and pie server to serve. After it is plated, drizzle with premium extra virgin olive oil.

I love this with a fruity sparkling wine, such as a Prosecco or the Gloria Ferrer shown. You can also serve it with an acidic white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is a Portuguese wine, and is a good option for this dish. If you only drink red, try a fruit forward Pinot Noir from a Oregon or New Zealand.