Bolinho de Bacalhau

There is a profound magic in transforming humble, salt-cured cod into the golden, crispy exterior and cloud-like interior of a perfect bolinho de bacalhau. Brought to Brazil by Portuguese immigrants, these fritters have become an undisputed king of the boteco snack scene. When you look at the shop-bought frozen versions, you’re paying an outrageous premium—often upwards of fifteen dollars for a tiny box of ten—only to bite into a dense, filler-heavy puck of mystery white fish and stale frying oil. Making them from scratch is a revelation of pure, unadulterated flavor. You get the distinct, briny flake of real bacalhau, the earthy aroma of fresh parsley, and a texture that actually shatters when you bite it. The secret lies in the technique, and the most common pitfall is a batter that is too wet, causing your beautiful fritters to disintegrate in the oil. You must thoroughly dry your mashed potatoes and ensure your cod is properly desalted and shredded to ribbons. Another mistake is frying at too low a temperature, which leaves them greasy rather than gloriously crisp. Because they are a batch hero, I always make a massive double batch. You can portion them out and freeze them raw on a baking sheet before transferring to a bag. This means you always have a genuine, from-scratch alternative to processed fish nuggets ready to drop into hot oil whenever the craving strikes, proving that the best convenience foods are the ones you build yourself.

Storage times are a guide — always use your judgement and store food safely.