Pataniscas

Pataniscas are cod cakes. Very economical and quick to prepare, these were traditionally a way of transforming leftover boiled cod into a meal.

The ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all purpose wheat flour
• 1/2 cup milk, preferably room temperature, or the same volume of the cooking liquid of boiling the cod
• 2 whole eggs
• salt, freshly ground white pepper to taste
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup loosely packed of finely chopped parsley 
• 1 portion of boiled cod, around 200 g, skin and bones removed, flaked, about two cups loosely packed

In a large bowl, start by making a batter: slowly incorporate the milk into the flour, baking powder and baking soda mix, using a whisk or  a fork, being careful to not create any lumps. Next, add the eggs, mixing to create a batter. Then, add the onion and parsley, season with salt and white pepper. The cod may be salty, so be careful with the salt. Do not over mix. Incorporate the cod. Then we have to evaluate the consistency in order to decide whether we need to add flour or milk in order to get to the consistency of cake batter. It should be pourable but not liquid.

Frying the cakes is tricky and the secret to a light and fluffy result. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with 1/4 inch of oil and let it get hot. Dump a spoonful onto the oil and let it fry. Turn to the other side with a spatula as soon as this side is lightly golden, and fry it. Lower the heat to allow the fritter to cook through. One may need to turn the fritters a few times to ensure that it is cooked through. Remove onto a paper lined tray and let them drain the excess oil. During the frying process, one may need to lower the heat ti avoid burning the fritters. Anytime the frying pan is empty, or anytime the volume of oil seems to low, add a bit more oil. In the end, they should look like this: