Cod-Potato Casserole

This salt cod and potato casserole is rooted in the bacalhau tradition that runs deep through Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian cooking. Salt cod (bacalhau) gets an overnight soak to draw out the excess salt, then simmers until it flakes, and finally bakes with sliced potatoes in a tomato-parsley broth.

The overnight soak is not optional. Salt cod is preserved in heavy salt, and without soaking (with 3-4 water changes), the finished dish would be inedibly salty. Each water change draws out more salt, and by morning the fish should taste pleasantly seasoned, not briny.

The tomato sauce is kept simple: onion softened in olive oil, tomato puree, broth, parsley, and black pepper simmered for 15 minutes. No garlic, no heavy spicing. The sauce is there to support the cod, not overpower it. The cod’s own flavor, concentrated by the salting and curing process, carries the dish.

A long, covered bake (75-90 minutes) gives the potatoes time to absorb the tomato broth and soften completely while the flaked cod melts into every layer. Stir it once or twice during baking so the potatoes cook evenly.

Kitchen Tips

• Change the soaking water 3-4 times over 8-12 hours. Each change removes more salt. Taste a small piece of the fish after soaking to check seasoning.
• Start the cod in cold water when simmering. Dropping salt cod into boiling water toughens the outside before the inside cooks through.
• Slice potatoes about ¼ inch thick for even cooking. Thick slices won’t cook through during the bake; thin slices dissolve.
• This casserole tastes even better reheated the next day after the flavors have melded overnight.

Variations

• Add sliced hard-boiled eggs layered with the potatoes for a more traditional Portuguese bacalhau presentation.
• Stir in a handful of black olives for a briny accent that complements the cod.
• Use fresh cod instead of salt cod for a quicker version (skip the soaking) with a milder fish flavor.