Pastel de bacalhau

Method

1. Soak the salt cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water 4 to 5 times to remove the salt. The cod should taste pleasantly salty, not aggressive, after soaking.
2. Drain. Poach the cod in fresh barely-simmering water for 8 to 10 minutes until the flesh flakes; do not boil hard or it turns rubbery.
3. Lift out; cool on a board. Remove every skin and bone; flake the cod into a bowl by hand into thin shreds (the texture should be like wool, not paste).
4. Boil the potatoes whole in salted water until very tender. Drain; peel; pass through a potato ricer into a wide bowl. Let the rice steam off for 5 minutes.
5. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium-low. Sweat the onion 6 to 8 minutes until soft; add the garlic; cook 1 minute more. Cool slightly.
6. Combine the riced potato, flaked cod, softened onion-and-garlic mix, parsley and nutmeg in a large bowl. Mix gently with two forks; do not mash; the mixture should be coarse, not a paste.
7. Stir in the beaten eggs to bind. Taste; correct with salt and white pepper.
8. Heat the sunflower oil to 170°C / 340°F in a deep heavy pan.
9. Shape each pastel with two soup spoons: scoop a heaped tablespoon of mixture in one spoon; press and shape with the second spoon, transferring back and forth three times to form the characteristic three-ribbed oval (this is the Lisbon two-spoon shape).
10. Slide each oval into the hot oil; fry 4 to 5 at a time for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Lift onto kitchen paper with a slotted spoon.
11. Serve warm with lemon wedges and a glass of port, vinho verde or a chilled lager.