Cod Cakes with Pappardelle
Pappardelle are large, flat and broad pasta noodles. The name derives from the verb “pappare”, to gobble up. If you can’t get hold of them, use fettuccine instead. Serves six.
Ingredients
- 115ml olive oil
- 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground turmeric
- 700g cod, skinless and boneless, roughly chopped into 5cm chunks
- 60g fresh white breadcrumbs (about 2½ slices, crusts removed)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 20g preserved lemon skin, finely chopped (skin of 1 small lemon)
- 20g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 20g mint leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp harissa
- 600g chopped tinned tomatoes (ie, one and a half cans)
- 650ml chicken stock
- 2 strips shaved lemon skin
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 600g pappardelle
Method
- Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high flame. Fry the onions for 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden brown and soft, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer half the onion mix to a small bowl, then add the ginger and spices to the pan, fry for a minute, then spoon into a large bowl and set aside to cool down.
- Blitz the fish in a food processor a few times (you want it to be roughly minced, not overworked), then add to the large bowl with the onion and spices. Using your hands, mix in the breadcrumbs, egg, preserved lemon, a third each of the parsley and mint, three-quarters of a teaspoon salt and a good grind of black pepper. Once the mix is well combined, form into 12 cakes, 6-7cm wide and 2cm thick.
- Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan on a medium-high flame. Fry the fishcakes in two batches, cooking them for two to three minutes on each side, until golden-brown; keep the first batch on a plate while you fry the second in two more tablespoons of oil.
- Return the onion and garlic mix in the small bowl to the pan, add the harissa and fry for a minute, stirring the whole time. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, lemon skin, sugar and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt, bring to a gentle boil and leave to bubble away for 10-15 minutes, stirring a few times, until the sauce has thickened.
Yotam Ottolenghi [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/16/crumbs-comfort-yotam-ottolenghi-grain-recipes-meatballs-fishcakes]