Codfish cakes or salt cod fritters are an icon of the Portuguese cuisine. They are deep fried fish cakes which are traditionally made from a combination of mashed potatoes, shredded salt cod, eggs, onion, and parsley. Codfish cakes are appreciated equally by locals and tourists as an appetizer, but you also can find them served with rice and salad as main course.
Although widely available across the country, they appear to have originated in the region of Minho. The exact period when the pastéis were created is difficult to pinpoint. But it is believed they originated somewhere between 1760 when the first potato crops were brought to Portugal and 1841, when the first recipe of codfish cakes seems to have been published. Pastéis de Bacalhau also became popular in former Portuguese colonies like Brazil and Angola where they’re also called bolinhos. Here in Portugal, you can find shops specialized in selling them, and even creative takes on the traditional treat.
Codfish cakes or salt cod fritters are an icon of the Portuguese cuisine. They are deep fried fish cakes which are traditionally made from a combination of mashed potatoes, shredded salt cod, eggs, onion, and parsley. Codfish cakes are appreciated equally by locals and tourists as an appetizer, but you also can find them served with rice and salad as main course.
Although widely available across the country, they appear to have originated in the region of Minho. The exact period when the pastéis were created is difficult to pinpoint. But it is believed they originated somewhere between 1760 when the first potato crops were brought to Portugal and 1841, when the first recipe of codfish cakes seems to have been published. Pastéis de Bacalhau also became popular in former Portuguese colonies like Brazil and Angola where they’re also called bolinhos. Here in Portugal, you can find shops specialized in selling them, and even creative takes on the traditional treat.
