Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Artichoke Hearts
Crispy artichoke hearts are a delightful treat, especially when their ragged edges turn golden and the centres remain tender. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, as it uses convection heat to quickly dry the breadcrumb surface, ensuring a crisp coating without the need for deep frying.
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g tins artichoke hearts in water or brine, drained well (about 450–500g drained weight)
- 45g plain flour
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 80g panko breadcrumbs (or fresh white breadcrumbs dried for 5 minutes in a low oven)
- 30g finely grated Parmesan (or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese; use 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, or olive oil spray
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
- Optional dip: 4 tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 small grated garlic clove
Method
- Drain the artichoke hearts thoroughly and cut any very large hearts in half lengthways.
- Pat them dry on all sides, pressing gently into the folds without crushing them.
- Set up three shallow bowls: flour in the first; eggs beaten with Dijon mustard in the second; panko, Parmesan, oregano, parsley, garlic granules, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in the third.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes.
- Coat each artichoke piece lightly in flour, tapping off the excess, then dip into the egg mixture and let the surplus drip back into the bowl.
- Press into the breadcrumb mixture, turning and patting so crumbs cling to the cut sides and leafy edges.
- Arrange the artichokes in the air-fryer basket in a single layer.
- Spray or drizzle lightly with olive oil, aiming for a fine coating rather than wet patches.
- Air fry at 190°C for 8–10 minutes, turning the pieces after 5 minutes and spraying any dry-looking patches with a little more oil.
- If cooking a second batch, remove the first batch to a wire rack rather than a plate.
- To serve all batches hot together, return everything to the basket for 1–2 minutes at 180°C, shaking once.
- Finish with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
