Spanish Cod Fritters | Easy Tapas Recipe from Andalusia (Tortillitas de Bacalao Andaluzas)
Spanish cod fritters, known as Tortillitas de Bacalao Andaluzas in Spain, are a popular tapas recipe combining codfish, onion, garlic, and some herbs and spices with a tasty beer batter. This recipe is very easy to make as the batter is very forgiving. The sweet paprika brings out the sweetness of the cod and the parsley helps give every bite a pop.
Ingredients
- 1 cod fillet 16 oz / 450 grams
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup beer 120 ml
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley 8 grams
- 1 leveled teaspoon Spanish Sweet paprika
- Generous pinch of salt to taste
- Olive oil for frying
Instructions
Step 1 - Poach Cod Fillet
- First, poach the cod fillet in some boiling water. Once the water is boiling, submerge into the water and simmer on medium heat for 7 minutes.1 cod fillet 16 oz / 450 grams
- The cod fillet becomes opaque and firm once it is done. Once done, remove it from the water and allow it to cool while moving onto step 2.
Step 2 - Prepare the Batter
- Sieve the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. In a small bowl, whisk two eggs and add to the flour. Pour in the beer, season with a pinch of salt, and whisk until you have a thin batter with no lumps (it will be quite runny at this stage).1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup beer 120 ml, Generous pinch of salt
- Next, add the finely diced onion, garlic, chopped parsley, and paprika. Mix well with a fork.1 onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped, 3 tbsp chopped parsley 8 grams, 1 leveled teaspoon Spanish Sweet paprika
Step 3 - Add Cod to batter
- The cod fillet should have cooled enough to be handled. Flake the fillet apart by hand or by cutting it into small pieces.
- Add the flaked cod to the batter and mix well. Season to taste and leave the batter to meld at room temp for 5-10 minutes.
- Note: This type of batter is very forgiving and should be runny but not too thin. It should slowly drip off a fork or spoon when placed upside down. If the batter still looks too thin, add more flour and whisk until you have no lumps and achieve the desired consistency.
Step 4 - Fry Cod Fritters
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or pan on high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, test a blob of batter and if it sizzles, it is ready.
- Add a heaped tablespoon of the batter to the pan. Gently tap the mixture until it flattens out. Cook 3-4 fritters at a time (ensure they are not touching) and fry for around 2 minutes each side. They should be golden on both sides.
- Transfer to some paper towel to drain off oil and continue to cook fritters in batches.
Video
Notes
Cooking Tips:
- Frozen cod fillets are fine for this recipe, just ensure they are thawed before use.
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. It is healthier than vegetable oils and also has a lovely flavor.
- Add 1 bay leaf and half a dozen whole peppercorns to the water used to poach the cod fillet for a flavor boost.
- Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point compared to other cooking oils. Start off heating your oil at medium and if begins to smoke, turn it down immediately.
- If you prefer not to deep fry with oil, these fritters work perfectly well with just a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan.