Codfish fritters, tasty and easy to prepare, perfect for the holidays, it only takes a few minutes to make the perfect dough, with lots of cod to make them truly tasty and delicious. Fritters are a classic of the Christmas season in Calabria, we prepare them in a ring shape, elongated or also in a ball, depending on how they are prepared, usually filled elongated, or with dough with other ingredients in a ball, in a ring empty. They are prepared with simple dough of flour, water, and yeast, or with dough of flour, water, and potatoes, each locality has its version. Today I propose a quick recipe without potatoes, but nothing prevents adding them, they are finely mashed after cooking, still hot, half the dose compared to that of the flour, and you adjust little by little with the water to use to have a fairly firm dough, firmer than that without potatoes because it tends to become softer in leavening, this is important so that the dough is not too liquid otherwise it absorbs oil when cooking. So let’s see how to prepare them.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12 pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
Ingredients for Codfish Fritters
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or mixed with a little semolina
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tsp fresh brewer's yeast
- 10 1/2 oz cooked codfish (I used the microwave for 2 minutes)
- 1 tsp salt
- to taste black pepper
- as needed oil for frying
Tools for Preparing Codfish Fritters
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Plate
Steps for Preparing Codfish Fritters
First, we prepare the codfish. I placed it in a bowl without water, covered with microwave-safe plastic wrap, and cooked it for 2 minutes at 1200 watts. If the microwave has lower power, it may take a few more minutes. Alternatively, we can boil it with a little water. Flake it when cold. The codfish is already soaked and desalinated, click to read how to prepare it.
In a large bowl, place the yeast with water, stir with a spoon. Gradually add the flour, continuing to work with the spoon. Take short breaks to make the dough more elastic.
Add salt and pepper to the dough and stir again. Another short break, then add the codfish and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the warmth. I use a small oven with a cup of hot water.
When the dough is well risen and there are bubbles on the surface, we can fry spoonfuls in plenty of hot oil at 350°F. We grease the spoon with the oil from the pan each time, so the dough slides quickly into the oil.
Let them brown well in the hot oil, be careful not to raise the temperature too high to avoid burning our fry. When the fritters are golden brown, drain and dry on absorbent paper, continue until the dough is finished. This way, we obtain at least 16 pieces. They are excellent to serve hot, as they give their best, crispy outside, dry, soft, and with a delicious taste.
If there are leftovers, they can be quickly reheated in the oven or passed in tomato sauce, perhaps with 2 anchovies.
