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1
Submerge the soaked cod in cold water. Bring to a bare simmer with the bay leaf and garlic. Poach at a gentle tremor — never a rolling boil — until the flesh just separates into flakes when pressed; it must remain moist. Lift out and set aside. The cod is done when it yields to light pressure and the flakes part cleanly without resistance.
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2
Simultaneously boil the waxy potatoes in their skins until a skewer passes through without drag. Drain, peel, and pass immediately through a ricer into a wide, warmed bowl. The potatoes must be worked while steaming hot — this is where the dish lives or dies; as the mixture cools, the emulsification becomes difficult and the oil will not bind.
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3
Add the still-hot flaked cod to the riced potato. Begin beating vigorously with a wooden spoon — or use a stand mixer with the paddle on low — while drizzling in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, exactly as an emulsion sauce. Continue until the mixture coheres into a rough, spreadable paste with visible texture from both cod and potato. The surface should look unified and glossy rather than greasy or separated.
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4
Fold in the pine nuts and stoned black olives. Stir through the chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste: the saline depth of the cod should be anchored by the fat-rich potato, with the pine nuts giving occasional buttery resistance. Adjust with a further few drops of oil if the paste feels tight.
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5
Serve immediately on toasted bread or alongside polenta. The correct consistency is that of a rough brandade — chunky and cohesive, not smooth as a cream.