Preparation

1. Rinse the salt cod under cool running water and cover it with 1 inch of cold water in a shallow dish. Soak the salt cod in the refrigerator for 48 hours.

2. Change the water every 8 hours during soaking. Drain the water from the salt cod and pat it dry with a paper towel.

3. Pry up a corner piece of the salt cod's skin large enough to grasp with a paring knife. Pull the skin from the salt cod, using the blade of the knife to help detach it in places where it sticks to the flesh.

4. Debone the salt cod, if needed. Cut around the rib bones and spine with a fillet knife and pull them out of the flesh with your fingers. Remove the pin bones with tweezers.

Deep-Frying

1. Cut the cod into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes for nugget-size pieces or into 1-inch-by-3-inch strips, or cut the fillets in half; it's up to you. The great thing about rustic Italian dishes is there aren't too many rules when it comes to slicing and dicing, as long as you cut the same ingredients the same size so they cook at the same rate.

2. Mix a batter comprising 1 whole egg per cup of all-purpose flour and a pinch of baking soda for lift. Add a bit of water as needed to give the batter a loose consistency.

3. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 3 or 4 inches of oil and heat it to between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Dip the pieces of baccala in the batter one at a time, letting the excess drip into the bowl, then lay them in the oil. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. The frying time depends on the size of the pieces, but if you turn them over when they start to float on the oil and continue frying until golden brown on both sides, they're usually done.

5. Serve the baccala with a generous garnish of baby greens freshly tossed with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon zest, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pan-Frying

1. Slice the baccala into strips about 2 or 3 inches wide. If you're making baccala alla napoletana, slice strips that are around 3 to 3 1/2 inches wide so they hold while the sauce reduces.

2. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a straight-sided heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes.

3. Add the sliced baccala and cook for 2 or 3 minutes on each side. You can serve the baccala as is, or finish it in the style of Naples.

   If you want to make baccala in the style of Naples, lower the heat to medium-low and add a few cups of freshly chopped Roma tomatoes or a can or two of San Marzano tomatoes, capers, pine nuts and halved-and-pitted ripe olives. Season the sauce to taste and cook it down until thick and chunky. Stir in freshly copped herbs to finish.