Codfish,potatoes & onion casserole - Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa

Dried cod fish ( bacalhau) as I've mentioned on  this post before, is the most popular fish eaten in Portugal & there are literally hundreds of ways of preparing bacalhau.
One of the most popular ways of preparing bacalhau in Portugal is this dish Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa, this dish is a casserole, of dried codfish, potatoes, onions.
The  dish was created by Gomes de Sá who was the son of a rich nineteenth century merchant (apparently he dealt in cod) in Porto.The family lost it's fortune and so the son had to find a job at the famous restaurant Restaurante Lisbonense in downtown Porto. It was there that he created the now well known & famous recipe.

This dish was made by my friends mother for her grandsons birthday party.
It just looked so lovely that I decided to take a photo & share it with everyone.

Ingredients

•  600 - 8oog dried codfish (soaked for 24 hours)
•  8 medium size potatoes, waxy
•  4 large brown onions, sliced thin rounds
•  8 garlic cloves, crushed
•  250ml olive oil
•  4 hard boiled eggs, shell removed & sliced
•  100g black olives
•  2 tea salt
•  1 tea white pepper
•  1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
•  150ml extra olive oil

1. Soak the dried cod over night, changing the water twice.

2. Simmer a pot of water & add the cod to the water & simmer on a gentle heat for 5- 8 minutes, then drain the cod & leave to cool.

3. Put the potatoes (whole with the skin on)  into a large pot & bring the potatoes to the boil.
Once the potatoes are cooked drain & set aside to cool. Add the eggs to the potatoes & cook for 10 min, till the eggs are hard boiled, then set aside.
Once the potatoes are cooled, cut in 1/4 inch thick slices.

4. In a fry pan add the oil then heat the pan adding the onions & garlic.Cook on medium heat till the onions are soft & slightly caramelised. This may take 15 - 20 min.
Once the onions are cooked set aside.

5. Once the ingredients are all cooked & prepared, start to assemble the dish. 

6. Grease an oven proof dish ( a shallow lasagna dish is good for this) with some oil & spread half of the potatoes over the bottom of the prepared dish, then sprinkle half of the salt cod over the potatoes. Then spread half the onions on top of the potatoes,sprinkle a teaspoon salt & pepper.


6. Repeat the process till all the ingredients are gone.
Garnish with hard boiled egg slices,  black olives, & chopped parsley.
Drizzle the extra olive oil on top & bake at 180 degrees for 25min or till golden.

Note

• I buy packets of dried codfish that have been removed of skin & bone, so the weight that I've mentioned is for this type. If you buy it in pieces with the skin & bones then weigh the amount after it's been cooked with the skin & bones removed. 

• You can buy codfish at any good deli.  If your in Sydney you can buy the packet Codfish from: 
•   Charlie's Deli
  37 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham
  Ph: 9560 4037