Bake and Saltfish
This dish is a typically Caribbean dish, each household, and each Caribbean country will have its own way of making it, some will add sweet peppers to their stew saltfish, some will make their bakes a different shape but one thing is for sure this is a staple dish in any Caribbean household and once you catch a whiff of it cooking in the kitchen it will instantly make your mouth water. For me, this is a dish that can be eaten at any time of the day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Many traditionally have it for breakfast.
Getting your bake right can be tricky, and it can also take years! That perfect golden brown bake that's slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside AND swells! It's an art let me tell you!
Ingredients
For the Bake (makes 12)
400g all-purpose flour + a small bowl of flour for kneading
1 tsp sugar (I use brown)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cup water, more as needed
Oil for frying
For the Saltfish
1 pack saltfish
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 wiri wiri pepper (you can use scotch bonnet )
1 sprig thyme
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
2 spring onions
1 tsp black pepper
oil
Method
If you’d like a visual of how it’s done you can watch my reel here
To make the bake:
1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together. Push the flour to the side of the bowl to create a space or well in the middle of the bowl to pour your water into. Add water a little at a time to the flour and knead, you need a firm and smooth dough ball, add more flour if needed to bring the dough together.
2. Roll your dough into a sausage shape roughly with your hands and pinch off about an inch and ½ of dough, roll into a ball with your hand, you want the dough to be smooth so keep rolling until smooth. Repeat the process. Your dough should make 12 even balls. Set aside and cover with a damp paper towel and allow to rest for about 30 mins. While your dough is resting, line a dish with kitchen towels, you’ll use this to drain your bakes once cooked.
3. Pop a heavy-based pan (you can use a wok or something similar) on the stove and add enough oil to fry your bake, the oil should be enough to cover the dough when it’s dropped in.
4. Flour your kitchen work surface and roll each dough ball, it’s a personal preference as to what size you’d like your bakes, just don’t roll them too thinly. I like mine just a little bigger than the size of the circumference of a mug.
5. Pop your rolled out dough into the hot oil. Be very careful not to burn yourself doing this, if this is the first time you’re making bakes do one at a time, you will notice that the bake will quickly start to fry, using a big slotted spoon gently pour over some of the hot oil on the bake this will help it to swell. Once it starts to turn golden, turn it over and fry until golden on both sides. This will only take a few mins 1-2 on each side.
6.Remove from oil and place in your dish lined with kitchen town to drain.
Stewed Saltfish:
1. In a pot boil your saltfish for 5-6 minutes. Drain and repeat the process. This will remove the excess salt from the fish so that your dish isn't too salty. Drain and flake fish with a fork. Set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a shallow pan. Fry your onion, garlic, and wiri wiri, until your onions have softened. Add in the flaked saltfish and seasonings. Mix together and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in your chopped tomatoes and cook for a further 10 mins until your tomatoes have completely softened.
3. Add in the tomato puree and spring onions, mix, and take off the heat.
