Yiayia Niki's bakaliaros plaki (baked cod) from Kalamata

serves
4
P87 Yiayia Niki's bakaliaros plaki (cod bake) from Kalamata
P87 Yiayia Niki's bakaliaros plaki (cod bake) from Kalamata

“We eat Niki’s flavour-rich dish in the dappled shade of her balcony, overlooking inky-blue water in the distance. The currants perfectly balance the salted cod, but if you’re not a fan of salt cod, I’ve also made this recipe with cod fillets and added salt myself. I’ve also made this into a plentiful vegan dish by omitting the fish and adding an extra potato and red capsicum.” – Anastasia Miari

Ingredients (16)

  • 1kg salt cod or cod fillets
  • Dried oregano, to taste
  • 120ml olive oil
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 600g potatoes, roughly chopped
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 5 cloves
  • 5 allspice berries
  • 100g Zante currants (or currants)
  • 1 red capsicum, roughly chopped
  • 500g tomatoes (can be tinned), quartered
  • Bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped (including the stalks)
  • Bread (optional), to serve

Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.

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Method

  • 1.
    If using salt cod, soak the fillets overnight in water, then the next day, rinse again under cold water, drain and squeeze the fillets to remove any excess water.
  • 2.
    Lay the fish flat in a baking dish and sprinkle with oregano, then set aside. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
  • 3.
    Heat the oil in a large non-stick frypan with a lid over a high heat and fry the onions, garlic and potatoes for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, spices, currants and capsicum, along with a final sprinkling of oregano and 1/3 cup (80ml) of water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the potatoes don’t stick.
  • 4.
    If you’re using cod that hasn’t been salted, sprinkle in 1 tbs sea salt flakes at this point. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes with the lid on, then remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the cod in the baking dish.
  • 5.
    Sprinkle half the chopped parsley over the top and add 50ml water, then bake in the oven for 40 minutes. When cooked, garnish with remaining chopped parsley and serve with a slice of bread, if using, for soaking up the juices.
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