Bacalhau com Natas is another excellent way to prepare Portuguese salted cod. The potatoes in this recipe are traditionally cut into small cubes and either deep-fried or baked until semi-soft. The creaminess comes from a Béchamel sauce enriched with heavy cream.
As with Bacalhau à Brás, the salted cod must be pre-soaked in water (24-48 hours) to remove the salt. You can also use pre-prepared cod.
Cod: Briefly simmer the soaked cod (24–48 hours) in milk or water. Drain (save the milk!), remove skin and bones, and shred it. The pieces should be medium-sized.
Potatoes: Peel the potatoes, cut them into small cubes (about 1x1 cm), and pat them dry. Fry them in oil (or bake them in the oven with a little olive oil) until they are semi-soft and slightly golden. Drain excess oil and salt lightly.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and sauté for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly (creating a roux).
Gradually pour in the warm milk, stirring vigorously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Cook the sauce until it thickens. Remove from the heat.
Stir the heavy cream, ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the Béchamel. The sauce should be thick and creamy.
In a large frying pan, sauté the thinly sliced onion in olive oil until soft (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté for one minute.
Add the shredded cod to the onion mixture in the pan and heat briefly.
Stir the cod and onion mixture, and also the fried potatoes, into the cream sauce (Béchamel). Mix everything gently so that the potatoes do not fall apart.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F).
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until the surface is baked golden brown and the sauce starts bubbling around the edges.
Serve hot, preferably with a fresh green salad.