Looking to cut costs in the kitchen? Try these delicious recipes from Jenny Tschiesche’s Budget Air-Fryer Cookbook
More about the book!

Penguin Random House SA has shared an excerpt from Budget Air-Fryer Cookbook by Jenny Tschiesche!

Tschiesche’s newest cookbook presents a range of nutritious and budget-friendly recipes made with everyone’s favourite kitchen must-have.

In a time when South Africans are looking to cut costs wherever possible, the air-fryer offers an efficient, cost-effective solution to cooking every day, due to the strength of the air current inside.

The fast and powerful fan means you can cook food in shorter periods of time, and at lower temperatures, than in a conventional oven. Combine this money-saving cooking method with inexpensive ingredients and you have an easy way to prepare tasty and nutritious meals that will save you money – on your electricity bill and at the supermarket!

Here’s a sample of recipes from the book:

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Baked Mediterranean Gnocchi

‘Gnocchi is a relatively cheap pasta and makes for a really filling and comforting choice. Most supermarkets sell packets of mixed Mediterranean-style vegetables in the frozen section, and they are very useful to keep on standby in the freezer.’

Serves: 4

500 g frozen Mediterranean vegetables
350 g tomato pasta sauce in a jar
500 g gnocchi
2 heaped tablespoons pesto
215 g mozzarella, thinly sliced
a few slices of Parma ham (optional)

Combine the frozen vegetables, pasta sauce, gnocchi and pesto in a heatproof dish that fits in your air-fryer. You may need to split this into two containers depending on the size of your air-fryer.

Stir well so that all the gnocchi is coated.

Preheat the air-fryer to 160ºC. Place the dish in the preheated air-fryer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place the thinly sliced mozzarella over the top of the dish and cook for a further 10 minutes.

If you wish, tear some slices of Parma ham over the top before serving.

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Chinese-Style Pork Meatballs

‘These delicious meatballs are perfect served with some green vegetables (steamed broccoli is ideal) some rice with a little extra soy sauce and some sesame seeds.’

Serves: 2

300 g minced/ground pork
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or apple cider vinegar
1 spring onion/scallion, finely chopped, plus 2 to garnish
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon sweet chilli/chili dipping sauce

In a bowl combine the pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine or apple cider vinegar, one of the finely chopped spring onions/scallions (reserve the other two for garnish) and the breadcrumbs.

When thoroughly mixed, mould into 6 equal-sized meatballs.

Place in a heatproof dish that fits in your air-fryer.

Preheat the air-fryer to 180ºC. Place the dish in the preheated air-fryer and cook for 10–12 minutes. Halfway through cooking, brush the outside of each meatball with the sweet chilli sauce. Check the internal temperature of the meatballs has reached 71ºC using a food thermometer – if it hasn’t, return to the air-fryer for a few more minutes.

Great served with steamed broccoli, white rice, a little more light soy sauce and some toasted sesame seeds scattered over the top.

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Air-Fryer Nachos

‘Such a quick and easy take on the classic Tex-Mex dish. Ideal for a night in with a movie.’

Serves: 2

1/2 x 400g can of refried beans
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
100 g tortilla chips
1/2 x 200g can of sweetcorn/corn kernels, drained
1 x 200g jar of salsa
80 g/scant 1 cup grated/shredded mature/sharp Cheddar
guacamole, to serve
sour cream, to serve

In a small bowl combine the refried beans with the garlic powder, onion powder and ground cumin, mixing them together well.

Lay out the tortilla chips in a heatproof dish that fits in your air-fryer, then spoon over the bean mixture. Scatter the sweetcorn/corn kernels on top. Dollop on the salsa and cover in grated cheese.

Preheat the air-fryer to 180ºC. Add the dish to the preheated air-fryer and cook for 4–6 minutes. The cheese should be just browning.

Serve with guacamole and sour cream.

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