Pataniscas de Bacalhau: Portuguese Cod Pancakes
This article contains affiliate links. We may receive compensation if you make a purchase using one of these links at no additional cost to you. See our Disclaimers and Terms of Use for more information.
In Portugal, there are about 1,000 ways to cook salt cod. One of the best is pataniscas de bacalhau which are essentially pancakes made with the funky, salty, flakey fish. It’s a quick and easy dish that’s ideal to serve during the holidays or as an everyday meal.
Portugal is historically a nation of fishermen and explorers. Despite that history, or perhaps because of it, preserved fish is an integral part of Portuguese cuisine. It makes sense. Bacalhau is a delicacy that adds unique funky flavor to whatever you make with it – even pancakes.
The Portuguese have been cooking salt cod for centuries. Although there’s a wealth of fresh seafood in Portuguese waters, bacalhau somehow became the nation’s official national protein. It’s used in countless dishes from fritters to casseroles. There’s practically nothing that the Portuguese haven’t tried with the wondrous delicacy.
Many Portuguese categorize pataniscas de bacalhau somewhere between a crêpe and a fritter, but we call them pancakes. When you eat pataniscas de bacalhau in Lisbon, you may find that they’re a little fluffier and less flat than our version. But we love our pataniscas – they’re brown and beautiful with plenty of tasty salt cod in every bite.
And while many Lisbon cooks choose to deep-fry their pataniscas, we fry ours in a cast iron skillet. We do this because we’re not fans of deep frying – it’s messy and requires about a half gallon of oil. Our pataniscas achieve a beautiful golden brown surface and crunch without all that oil.
Ingredients
To make pataniscas de bacalhau, you need the following ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How To Make Pataniscas de Bacalhau
The first step in this recipe is to cook the bacalhau whole, with a bay leaf and parsley stems, in milk for 10 minutes. Cook the cod/milk mixture to just under a boil, decreasing the heat if the mixture gets too hot. You don’t want the mixture to boil over.
Once the mixture is cooked, remove the cod from the milk mixture. Strain the milk and set it aside for later.
Next, flake the cod by removing the flesh from the skin and bones, placing the flesh in a bowl as you remove it. Continue to tear the flesh until it reaches a flaky consistency.
Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Gradually pour in the strained milk until the two ingredients are incorporated. Add the parsley, eggs, onion and salt cod to the mix. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients until they form into a loose batter.
Pouring Milk into Flour | Image 1 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Mixing the Flour and Milk | Image 2 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Parsley | Image 3 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Egg to the Batter | Image 4 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Onions to the Batter | Image 5 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Salt Cod to the Batter | Image 6 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Nutmeg to the Batter | Image 7 of 11: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Black Pepper to the Batter | Image 7 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Adding Salt to the Batter | Image 8 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Squeezing Lemon into the Batter | Image 9 of 10: ©2foodtrippers 
Mixing the Ingredients Together | Image 10 of 10: ©2foodtrippers
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until the oil reaches about 350°F / 180°C.
Once the oil is heated, add the batter to the hot oil with a large spoon to form pancakes. Each pancake should be five to six inches (approximately 14 centimeters).
Cook each side of the pancakes until brown. This step should take about three to four minutes per side.
Remove the cod pancakes from the pan and place them on a large paper-towel-lined plate or a wire rack. Allow them to drain for a few minutes.
Garnish the pancakes with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
We like to eat pataniscas de bacalhau while they’re hot. However, it’s not uncommon for Portuguese cooks to serve pataniscas at room temperature. They taste great either way.
Bom apetite!
Pataniscas de Bacalhau Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound salt cod (from the loin, bone in – presoaked for about 2 days.)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped and stems set aside)
- 1/2 lemon (squeezed to taste)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (grated fresh or ground)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- vegetable oil (about 1/2 inch in a frying pan)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup whole milk
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the whole cod fish with the bones, parsley stems and bay leaf in the milk over low heat until flaky – about 10 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove the cod fish from the milk. Set the milk aside and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Pull the cod fish from the bones and shred into small flakes.
- Pour the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the slightly cooled milk, parsley, egg, onions, cod fish, nutmeg, salt, pepper and stir until combined.
- Heat about a half inch of vegetable oil in a 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, use a large spoon to spoon out the mixture into the oil and form pancakes that are four to five inches in size. Cook the pancakes until they're golden brown on both sides.
- Move the pancakes to a wire rack or a plate topped with a paper towel. Let them drain for a few minutes.
- Garnish with diced parsley and serve.
Notes
- Presoak your salt cod for about 2 days, changing the water 3 to 4 times until the cod is pleasantly salty.
- Add more flour if you prefer slightly fluffier pataniscas.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Pataniscas de Bacalhau are Portuguese pancakes made with salt cod, flour and egg.
Pataniscas de bacalhau were probably invented in Portugal, specifically in Western Iberia.
Salt Cod (Bacalhau), All-Purpose Flour, Bay Leaf, Egg, Lemon, Nutmeg, Parsley, Pepper, Salt, Vegetable Oil (for frying) and Whole Milk
Portuguese people eat pataniscas de bacalhau both as a main course and as a starter. You can do the same.
📍 Pin This Recipe
Favourite