Cod Fish Fritters (Pataniscas)

Growing up in a Portuguese household, we ate a lot of codfish. I wasn’t a huge fan of it as a kid, but my taste buds matured more and more as I got older and now I cook codfish recipes for my own family. Thank goodness my little ones are not as picky as I was! They really enjoy traditional Portuguese meals and they ESPECIALLY enjoy fish. These cod fish fritters (Pataniscas de Bacalhau) are a family favorite in our home and the kids devour them. That is a big WIN for a cooking Mama, am I right?!

This dish can be served as an appetizer or as your main dish. We enjoy this dish with a side serving of tomato rice, but any side you like would be just fine!

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy recipe as much as we do!

To Get Started

Gather all your ingredients

Ingredient List:

1 lb boneless Cod fish (pre-soaked)

1 small onion (minced)

2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

1 1/2 cups flour

salt to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions:

• Cook the Cod fish in boiling water for 7-10 minutes.
• Transfer the cooked cod to a dish and let it completely cool (reserve one cup of water from the pot). Once the cod is cooled down, pull the fish apart shredding it into little pieces. Make sure you remove any small bones that you find.
• Add to the same bowl the onion, parsley, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, baking soda and the olive oil. Mix well.
• Beat the eggs and add to the cod fish mixture. Stir well to incorporate. You want to reach a pancake batter consistency, so here you would use the reserved water if needed.
• Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add the olive oil and vegetable oil to a skillet and heat to medium
• Spoon the mixture into your pan, like you would with pancakes. Pat the mix down to make a flatter shape, you don’t want your fritters too thick. Cook until golden brown on each side.
• Serve your cod fish fritters with lemon wedges on the side, if desired. These are delicious hot or cold. Enjoy!