Salt Cod Stir-Fry with Fried Egg: Easy Tapas Recipe

Cod with fried egg: the perfect tapa

There are dishes born out of necessity that end up on the menus of the best bars in Spain. The cod scramble with fried egg is exactly that: leftover food elevated to the category of a gourmet tapa. The combination of flaked cod, crispy potatoes, and an egg with a runny yolk is a classic that works equally well as a bar tapa, a quick dinner, or a dish to share.

The "estrellado" (fried) or "roto" (broken) egg is the technique of frying the egg in abundant hot oil and breaking the yolk over the dish at the last moment, allowing it to coat all the ingredients. It's a tradition that comes from "huevos rotos con jamón" (fried eggs with ham), but with cod, the result is equally addictive and more accessible.

At Bacalalo, we've been in Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona since 1990, and this is one of the recipes our customers ask for most. The key is to use Icelandic cod with a firm texture that flakes into defined pieces, not shapeless crumbs.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 400 g of desalted Icelandic cod, flaked
• 4 fresh eggs (as fresh as possible, the yolk holds better)
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, finely julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Abundant extra virgin olive oil
• Flaky salt and black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: 1 dried chili or paprika de la Vera

Preparing the flaked cod

If using dried cod, desalinate it for 48 hours in cold water in the refrigerator, changing the water every 8-10 hours. If you prefer to skip this step, Bacalalo offers pre-desalted cod.

Blanch the desalted cod in simmering water (not boiling) for 5-6 minutes. Drain it, let it cool, and flake it with your hands into irregular pieces, removing bones and skin. The flakes should have body — don't shred it too finely, or it will get lost in the scramble.

The scramble step by step

Step 1: The potatoes

Heat abundant olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the potato cubes for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Season lightly with salt.

Step 2: The vegetables

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. With 3-4 tablespoons of the remaining oil, sauté the julienned onion for 8-10 minutes until transparent and sweet. Add the sliced peppers and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the sliced garlic (and chili if using) for the last 2 minutes. The vegetables should be tender but still have some texture.

Step 3: Integrate the cod

Increase the heat slightly and add the flaked cod to the sautéed vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, mixing carefully so that the cod heats through and absorbs the flavors without breaking apart too much. Add the fried potatoes and mix everything with gentle, folding movements. Adjust salt (carefully, as the cod is already salty).

The fried egg: perfect technique

The fried egg is cooked separately, in another pan, and placed on top just before serving. The technique is the same as for classic "huevos rotos":

Step 4: Fry the eggs

1. Heat abundant olive oil (at least 1 cm deep) in a small frying pan over high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking.
2. Crack the egg into a small bowl first (to control the yolk and remove any shell pieces).
3. Slide the egg into the hot oil. Immediately, with a spoon, baste the egg white with the hot oil, folding it over itself. This creates crispy, wavy edges.
4. Fry for 1-1.5 minutes. The egg white should be set with golden, crispy edges, but the yolk should be completely liquid.
5. Remove with a slotted spoon and place directly on top of the scramble.

Tip: For perfect eggs, use room-temperature eggs (take them out of the fridge 30 minutes beforehand). A cold egg lowers the oil's temperature, and the white becomes soft instead of crispy.

Assembly and presentation

This dish is served immediately, freshly made, with freshly fried eggs:

• Divide the cod and potato scramble onto individual plates or a large serving platter.
• Place a fried egg on top of each serving.
• Sprinkle flaky salt over the yolk and freshly ground black pepper.
• Generously sprinkle chopped fresh parsley.
• Optional: a few flakes of paprika de la Vera for color and smoky aroma.

The magic moment is breaking the yolk at the table. Each diner pierces their egg, and the runny yolk mixes with the cod and potatoes, creating a natural golden sauce that coats everything. It's a dish meant to be eaten with bread — essential for soaking up the sauce.

Variations of the dish

• With Iberian ham: Add shavings of Iberian ham on top just before serving. The heat of the dish releases the ham's aroma without cooking it.
• With piquillo peppers: Substitute fresh peppers with canned piquillo peppers. They add more sweetness and a more concentrated flavor.
• Baked version: Assemble the scramble in individual earthenware casseroles, crack an egg on top, and bake at 200°C (390°F) for 6-8 minutes until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.
• With blood sausage: Crumble a piece of Burgos blood sausage over the scramble before adding the egg. The cod-blood sausage combination is surprising and addictive.
• Pintxo style: Serve small portions on toasted bread slices with a fried quail egg on top. Perfect as a bar tapa.

Frequently asked questions