Deep fried, battered salt cod, or baccalà, is a traditional dish that is often made in Italy during Lent.
Originally published March 20, 2015.
Have you ever had baccalà? Well, first we need to discuss what it is.
What is baccalà or salt cod?
Baccalà is dried cod which has been preserved with salt. I would hazard to say that most people in the US have never tried it. Unless, of course, you are of European descent or have an ethnic background where salt cod is normally eaten. Italians use it many ways, but the two main dishes my mother makes with baccalà are a fish salad, or this battered (fish and chip style) recipe.
I love fish and chips, but like anything else, it has to be good fish and chips, not greasy with a thick batter on fish that smells fishy and doesn’t taste fresh. I’ve had some bad fish which makes me realize when people tell me that they don’t like fish, it’s probably because that’s what they’ve had, too.
Dried salt cod, or baccalà, as it’s called in Italy isn’t very popular in the US. However, it’s readily available at Italian shops, especially during Lent. It’s very easy to prepare, and the fact that it’s dried means you can keep it in your fridge to have it on hand for whenever you want to make it. The only thing is you need to soak it before cooking. Thinner pieces can be soaked overnight for about 12 hours, but thicker pieces will need a minimum of 24 hours or else the fish will taste too salty.
Please note that we never measure anything when we make the batter in this recipe. I’ve given guidelines for everything but flour. You will have to add flour to adjust the consistency, as even the type of flour you use will make a difference.
Here’s my mother’s recipe for the battered fish, and the salad will be posted soon.
Deep Fried, Battered Salt Cod (Baccalà)
recipe by Lidia Conte
NB: you may substitute fresh fish for the salt cod for a regular “fish and chips” type fish dish.
Ingredients
- salt cod, presoaked for 18 to 36 hours, depending on thickness (soak the fish in a bowl of water, so that it is completely submersed. Change the water 2 or 3 times. If it is a thick piece of fish, leave it for a minimum of 24 hours (on the countertop is fine); thinner fish can be soaked for 12 to 18 hours.
- flour
- 1 tbsp milk
- 4 0z (1/2 cup) water (this is for a small amount of salt cod, double all the ingredients for a larger fish)
- a good pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- oil for deep frying
Prepare the fish~
Remove the fish from the water. Rinse and dry with paper towel, to remove as much of the water as possible. Cut into smaller pieces.
Prepare the batter~
Mix the milk, water, salt and baking soda together in a bowl. Next, begin adding flour a tablespoon at a time, and whisking for about 4 or 5 minutes once it becomes the right consistency. The whisking is important. Check out the photo below to see the consistency of the batter.
Fry the fish~
Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. When it is hot, begin dipping the pieces of fish into the batter. It should be somewhat thick, and not too runny (you don’t want all the batter running off the fish as you put it in the oil).
Place a few pieces of fish into the hot oil and fry until they are cooked through. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes total, or longer if it’s a thicker piece of fish. Turn the fish half way through, If it browns to quickly, the oil is too hot.
Place the battered salt cod on a paper-towel lined plate to soak some of the oil.
Continue with the rest of the pieces of fish.
Serve the fish~
Finally, place all the fish on a serving plate, garnish with some parsley and lemon slices, if desired. This fish tastes best when served hot.
Let me know if you like this deep fried, battered salt cod recipe!
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- salt cod, presoaked for 18 to 36 hours, depending on thickness (soak the fish in a bowl of water, so that it is completely submersed, changing the water 2 or 3 times. If it is a thick piece of fish, leave it for a minimum of 24 hours (on the countertop is fine); thinner fish can be soaked for 12 to 18 hours
- flour
- 1 tbsp milk
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) water (this is for a small amount of salt cod, double all the ingredients for a larger fish)
- a good pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- oil for deep frying
- Remove the fish from the water, rinse and dry with paper towel, to remove as much of the water as possible. Cut into smaller pieces.
- Prepare the batter by mixing the milk, water, salt and baking soda together in a bowl, then begin adding flour a tablespoon at a time, and whisking for about 4 or 5 minutes once it becomes the right consistency. The whisking is important. Check out the photo below to see the consistency of the batter.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. When it is hot, begin dipping the pieces of fish into the batter, which should be somewhat thick, and not too runny (you don't want all the batter running off the fish as you put it in the oil).
- Place a few pieces of fish into the hot oil and fry until they are cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes total (turning the fish half way through), or longer if it's a thicker piece of fish. If it browns to quickly, the oil is too hot.
- Place on a paper-towel lined plate to soak some of the oil.
- Continue with the rest of the pieces of fish. Place all the fish on a serving plate, garnish with some parsley and lemon slices, if desired and serve hot.
Peggy Woods
wrote on
I am sure I would love this dish. My mother used to make a creamy salt cod dish served over mashed potatoes when I was a youngster. I always enjoyed it. Wish I had gotten her recipe.
Christina
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Oooh, that sounds lovely, Peggy. So sorry you didn’t get the recipe :(
A_Boleyn
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Great looking fish.
Christina
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Thank you!
Charlie
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This looks good!
I’m Canadian and we had salt cod all the time. Love it.
Could be because I had Grandparents from Nfld. An Island of our Eastern coast.
Christina
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That’s awesome, Charlie!
Cathy A
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I am not familiar with dried fish. I love that you can keep it on hand for when you want to make it. I am always learning something new from you. Thank you!
George tozzini
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Hi bristona. I’m retired but 60 yrs ago I worked mightd. My dad would fry baccala using the same recipe. When I got up to go to work he would tell me to brown bag some of the fried baccala. T ytei got to my job the brown bag Absorbed the olive oil. I didn’t wait for a lunch break. LOL I ate it all while working. I use nothing but pure olive when cooking. It’s the oldest ingredient on the earth and the healthiest.
A Collection of Authentic Italian Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Recipes - Christina's Cucina
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[…] Deep Fried, Battered Salt Cod ~ Very delicious! […]
Insalata di Baccalà (Italian Salt Cod Salad) - Christina's Cucina
wrote on
[…] promised, here is my mother’s other baccalà recipe, in addition to her Deep Fried, Battered Salt Cod from last […]
betty
wrote on
christina,
this way of fixing bacacla fritters sounds great . only my mom
used to put rasins in the batter, and sugar springled on them
after frying.
i am so glad you showed me how to make the first batter tho.
Christina
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Hi Betty, I think you’re talking about Zeppole or Frittelle? https://christinascucina.com/2013/12/zeppole-traditional-italian-christmas.html
mel
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how many servings does this recipe make
Luci Caranci
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My Mom taught me to have the last soaking in milk overnight in the refrigerator and then rinse and pat dry. Cut into smaller pieces. I make the batter Christmas Eve morning using only King Arthur flour (which is self-rising) and coarse black pepper and warm water equal parts water/flour. Let it rest, give it a stir and deep fry. Mom used to use corn oil but I use canola oil. I don’t deep fry the ends. I boil them and add boiled, cup up potatoes and green beans and make a salad. My Mom would put the ends in a tomato sauce with Kalamata olives and my Nana baked the ends with oil, lemon and parsley. But I may try your way of doing baccala next time.
Christina
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Wow! You’re a baccala pro, Luci! It’s funny as I’m Barcelona right now and took a cooking class where we cooked salt cod in a dish! Enjoy!
Susan Sockett
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Can I use bicarbonate of soda instead of baking soda? Should I add cream if tartar?
Christina
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Hi Susan, bicarbonate of soda IS baking soda; just different names for the same thing. No need for Cream of Tartar. CC
Marie
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I used this recipe with halibut last night and it was so easy! I love simple recipes that are quick to make and don’t have a long list of ingredients. My 6 and 4 yr old girls loved it too. I used coconut oil to fry the fish and worked great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!! It’s not letting me give it 5 stars….must be my silly phone!
Christina
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Oh thank you so much, Marie! That’s great to hear and I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
Regarding the stars, you are in fact, the second person to tell me that today, so I think it’s the actual rating set up that is not working correctly, unfortunately for me as google ranks recipes according to star ratings :( Thank you for letting me know and I’ll look into it.
Christina
Frank
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Filetti di baccalà, as they used to call them back in Rome. And the name of a wonderful (and famous) trattoria very close to our house downtown. One of my favorite treats from back in those days, served with a nice salad of puntarelle… heaven!
Christina
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Lovely, Frank!
David Polson
wrote on
Hello, we’ve just launched our new website for the finest quality salt cured cod and pollock fillets from the Shetland Islands. Have a look a see what you think. http://www.saltcod.co.uk
Christina
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Looks wonderful! Happy to see such a great artisanal product coming from of Scotland.
Hadia
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I have made battered fried fish a lot of times, Christina, but never tried salt cod fish! This looks absolutely delcious! Thank you for sharing your awesome recipe to our seafood party! Pinned!
Christina
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Thank you for sharing it on your page, Hadia! :)
Ana
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Hi, would love to print out this recipe for a later time but cannot see the ‘print’ button?
Christina
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Hi Ana, sorry about that-I forgot to add the printable option. You will find it at the bottom of the post now. Thanks for letting me know! Happy Easter! CC
Insalata di Baccala (Italian Salt Cod Salad)
wrote on
[…] promised, here is my mother’s other baccala recipe, in addition to her Deep Fried, Battered Salt Cod from last […]
Monica DiFranco
wrote on
Hi Christina. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It sounds exactly like the baccala fritters my mother used to make back in Cleveland many many years ago. I’m living in Covina, California now and authentic Italian ingredients aren’t so easy to find, let alone an authentic Italian cook. Good to know there’s someone else in the area with knowledge of this classic Old World cooking!
Christina
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Oh dear, I seem to have missed your comment, Monica! I’m sorry. I agree, it’s hard to find certain ingredients, but not impossible. Have you found baccala near you?
Dottie Sauchelli-Balin
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Dear Christina,
Finally I am here…and so glad that I made it here, because I love baccala. We (Italians) have used this fish many times, during Lent and at Christmas too for the Eve. (7 fishes) My mom has fried it like you have made yours, with the flour and it is delish! Her ingredients for the batter are not the same as yours, a little different but what is the same is the presoaking, which is a step that you must do. Can’t skip that one…Yours looks so good could eat a piece right now…and you can’t forget those chips…Have a great week and thank you for sharing…
Dottie :)
Christina
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As always, thank you for your kind comments, Dottie! CC
David
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Christina – I have used salt cod in many ways, as I grew up with Italian relatives, lived in a Portuguese neighborhood, and was a good old Yankee! But amazingly, I have never had it fried. I must try this, because I bet it is so much more flavorful than plain old fried cod! Thanks fro sharing the recipe (guidelines!) with us.
Christina
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You’ll love it, David! CC
Salt | dinner prompt
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[…] Deep Fried Battered Salt Cod – Christina’s Cucina (NOTE: takes extra days to prepare because the fish must be soaked – but worth the time) […]
Medeja
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When I saw the pics, I started dreaming about fish and chips :D
Christina
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It’s so hard not to, Medeja! ;) CC
Cynthia/What A Girl Eats
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Looks fantastic! I had to made a boat-load of fish and chips when I worked in pubs!
Christina
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You lucky girl, you!!! CC
Suzanne
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I love baccala I learned the importance of soaking it sufficiently thats such an important step. Never battered and fried though, love that, it looks delicious, Fish and chips is so delicious.
Christina
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You might make it the next way I’m going to post the baccala, Suzanne: done with garlic, oil and parsley? Try it this way, too…I think you’ll enjoy it! CC
Cynthia Falk
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Bacalao is a staple in Puerto Rican kitchens. My Abuela made it almost everday for lunch, with boiled potatoes, yautia and calabaza. (dried tubers similar to yams but much yummier) .Hmm feel the urgent need to go make bacalao right now…Oh- Whole Foods Market carries it in the fish section!
Christina
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Yes, I know other countries have their own version of how they cook salt cod. Funny how seeing something makes you crave it immediately! :) Glad to know that Whole Foods carries it, too! Thanks, Cynthia!
Lili Chávez
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I make my poached, broken up bacalao with boiled yucca, sautéed in olive oil with lots of onions, garlic, capers, olives & ripe tomatoes. At service I top it withfresh cilantro, green salsa & avocado slices. My inspiration was recipes of friends from the Dominican Republic & Cuba.
Christina
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Wow, that’s a nice dish, Lili! :)
Janette@culinaryginger
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I’ve never had salt cod, but I do love my cod and chips. I’d love to try this, there’s an Italian grocer near me I’m going to see if they have it. Beautifully done.
Christina
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It won’t taste like your regular cod and chips, Janette but it’s still very tasty! CC