Its preparation is not so difficult but, as usual, will require patience, dedication and a lot of care . The most important thing is that the cod must be desalted carefully before, and then dried well! It is imperative to clear it from the salt at least a day before cooking. Use a very sharp and thin knife, which will avoid mangling the skin and the meat, and cut the fish into pieces the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Wash it repeatedly (and gently) under cold running water. When you are sure it is completely free from the salt, place it stretched and face down (the side without the skin) into a large container from the bottom edge and leave it in the sink under a trickle of cold running water for a couple of hours. Turn off the tap and leave everything as it is.

The next morning rinse each piece with fresh water. Put it to drain for a couple of hours. Dry all parts well but gently, squeezing it with a sturdy kitchen paper towel (one that does not crumble on contact with moist!).

The drying is very important because it will avoid your codfish boiling rather than fry! Let’s start cooking: flour each piece with care, and brown them over high heat in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, two cloves of garlic without their cores, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and a splash of white wine to be poured when the whole starts to sizzle firmly. Keep stirring gently until you get a quick but thick gilding.

Wash and finely slice the potatoes and the leeks. Place them into a pan on a high flame, with a knob of butter, finely chopped parsley and a sprinkling of pepper. When everything is nicely browned, reduce the flame, pour in the milk and continue cooking over low heat. After about 12-14 minutes, cover with the lid and turn off the flame.

Spread evenly 50 grams of butter in a baking sheet. Arrange inside the cod previously browned along with the cooking liquid. Add the potatoes and leeks previously prepared. Season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt to taste and add a pinch of red pepper to taste.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 170 degrees, but as usual be careful about its doneness. My oven is not yours... When cooked, sprinkle the dish with finely chopped fresh parsley, and ... delight your guests with the product of your passion, and the delicacy of a dish, perhaps a bit toilsome, but great taste!