Bacalhau com Natas 🇵🇹✨
A traditional Portuguese comfort food made with tender salt cod, golden potatoes, sautéed onions, and a rich homemade béchamel infused with the milk used to cook the cod. Topped with breadcrumbs and cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly, this Bacalhau com Natas is a guaranteed crowd pleaser that the whole family will love. 🤍🇵🇹
Ingredients
- 450-700g desalted cod
- 4 cups milk
- 5 cups diced potatoes
- 2 medium sliced onion + ½ extra onion
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cream
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ - ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ - ¾ cup grated cheese
- olive oil as needed
Instructions
- Soak and desalt the cod if needed. Boil the cod in milk with bay leaves and ½ onion until tender. Remove the cod and reserve the milk. Flake and set aside.
- Fry the diced potatoes until lightly golden and tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a pan sauté the onions in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic, bay leaves and cook briefly.Make the béchamel. Melt butter, whisk in flour and cook until smooth.
- Slowly whisk in cream and some of the reserved cod milk until thick and silky. Season with nutmeg and pepper. Add more cream if the béchamel is still too thick.
- Remove bay leaves and combine the cod, potatoes, and onion mixture.
- Fold in the béchamel until everything is well coated.Transfer to a baking dish.
- Top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese.Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Let rest before serving.
