1 cup raw salt codfish, in small pieces
1 heaping pint potatoes in 1-inch pieces
3 qts. cold water
1 egg
¹⁄₂ tablespoon butter
¹⁄₈ teaspoon pepper
Bring the fish and potatoes to a boil in the water. Put them into a
hay-box for one and one-half hours. Drain and shake them, uncovered,
over the fire to dry them as boiled potatoes, till white and mealy. Mash
them thoroughly, add the other ingredients, and mix them together
thoroughly. If necessary, add a little more salt. Take the mixture up by
tablespoonfuls and, without moulding them, drop them into hot, deep fat.
Fry until they are a rich brown, and drain them on brown paper.
To test the temperature of fat for fish balls, drop a cube of stale
bread into the fat. If it grows a rich brown in forty seconds the fat is
of the right temperature. If fat is too hot, fried food is injured in
flavour and digestibility; if not hot enough the food will be greasy. If
fish balls fall apart in the frying, it is because the fish and
potatoes were not well dried before adding the other ingredients.
Serves four or six persons.