Soak the Bacalhau in cold water at least 24 hours beforehand, put it in the refrigerator and change the water several times to desalinate it. Put the fish in a saucepan with cold water and cook with 2 bay leaves for 10-15 minutes.
Place in a colander and drain (save the bay leaves). Tear into small pieces by hand, removing the bones (I use the skin too). Put aside.
Cut the onions into rings and fry them with the bay leaves in olive oil until they are golden yellow. Add piri-piri, pepper and wine and fry until the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bay leaves and add the fish. Heat for 2 minutes and set aside. Pour the juice of half a lemon over them.
Peel the potatoes and cut into small sticks. Fry in olive oil until almost done (must still have a bite). Add a little salt and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C.
Make the bechamel sauce. To do this, warm the milk. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir with the whisk for about 2 minutes on a low flame. Add the warmed milk. Increase the heat and stir until everything thickens. When it boils, remove from the stove. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Fold in the cream and creme fraîche.
Grease a baking dish and pour in the potatoes and the onion-fish mixture in layers. Pour the sauce over it and sprinkle with breadcrumbs thick enough to create a light crust. You can also leave out the crumbs or replace them with cheese, but I know the recipe from Portugal. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve with wine or beer.
Tip: I always buy a whole fish (about 10 pieces) and soak everything according to the instructions. Then I freeze it in portions. Simply pour warm water over them for quick thawing. This saves time and is the best way to preserve the fish, as it cannot be kept forever even when dried!
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