Traditional bacalhau à Brás: the Portuguese classic of shredded salt cod with matchstick potatoes and eggs

The Portuguese say there are more than a thousand ways to prepare salt cod, and à Brás is the one most often made at home. It was born in Lisbon's Bairro Alto at the end of the 19th century, supposedly by a tavern keeper named Brás who threw together what he had on the counter: shredded cod, potatoes fried in thin sticks, onion and eggs.

The charm of the dish is the texture: the matchstick potatoes must stay partly crisp, the egg has to be creamy and never dry, and the well-desalted cod gives everything its salt and flavor. It is a skillet dish, quick, for a weekday, and at the same time one of those that appear in every traditional restaurant from Lisbon to Porto.

Homemade matchstick potatoes make a difference, but good store-bought ones work. What is non-negotiable is the doneness of the egg: low heat, stir calmly and take it off the stove a little before it looks ready.

Recipe card

• Origin: Lisbon, Portugal
• Category: Main course, salt cod
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus 24 to 48 hours desalting the cod)
• Cooking time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 500 g desalted salt cod, shredded into flakes
• 400 g potatoes cut into very thin sticks (or 250 g store-bought matchstick potatoes)
• Oil for frying
• 2 medium onions in thin half-moons
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. If making the matchstick potatoes at home, rinse the sticks in cold water, dry them well and fry in hot oil in batches until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil with the bay leaf and sauté the onion over medium heat for 8 minutes, until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute without letting it burn.
4. Add the shredded cod and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until heated through and fragrant.
5. Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Lower the heat, add the matchstick potatoes to the cod and mix.
7. Pour in the eggs and stir slowly with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until they form a cream coating everything. Remove from the heat before they dry out.
8. Taste for salt, sprinkle with the parsley and olives and serve immediately.

Tips and variations

• To desalt, soak the cod in water in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours; thick pieces need more time.
• Frozen, already desalted and shredded cod shortens the preparation to 30 minutes.
• Keep a handful of raw matchstick potatoes to sprinkle on top for guaranteed crunch.
• Without salt cod, the same technique works with flakes of cooked white fish and a little more salt.
• Serve with a lettuce and tomato salad or with sautéed greens.
• Do not reheat over high heat: the egg dries out. Best eaten right away.
• A glass of chilled vinho verde is the usual companion.

Bacalhau à Brás is proof that Portuguese cooking knows how to do a lot with little: five ingredients, one skillet and a dish famous the world over.