Polenta sticks in the air fryer, a tasty snack to serve as an appetizer or alongside your favorite boards instead of bread and grissini, for an even more tempting aperitif. They’re made with leftover, fairly firm polenta and seasoned with oil, salt, pepper or with spices or aromatic herbs as desired.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 35 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked polenta
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Air fryer parchment paper
Preparation — Polenta Sticks in the Air Fryer
When you have leftover polenta, firm and not ‘dressed’ (not mixed with extra ingredients), pour it into a baking dish, level it well and let it cool completely.
Once the polenta is completely cold, invert the baking dish onto a cutting board and cut it into sticks about 3/8 x 2–2 3/8 inches.
Transfer the sticks to the air fryer basket and season them with 2 pinches of salt, a grind of freshly ground pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Cook at 392°F for 18–20 minutes, turning them halfway through.
And voilà… the polenta sticks from the air fryer are ready to be plated and served with some dipping sauces.
Useful tips
For firmer, more compact sticks, I recommend preparing the polenta the day before and not making it too soft but rather quite firm—so firm that it could be cut with the string like in the old days. Let it cool at room temperature and do not cover it to avoid condensation.
You can flavor the sticks with garlic powder, smoked or hot paprika, or with aromatic herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage.
If you prefer, you can also use vacuum-packed polenta, but first dry it well or, better yet, wrap it in paper towels to remove any moisture.
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