A perfect Pesach treat or a cheeky indulgent meal at any time!
Serves 2
Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins
One of the questions we’re asked most frequently, especially in the runup to Pesach, is “will this recipe work in an air fryer? And sheepishly, we’ve often had to tell people we haven’t tried it, but that it probably will, and to let us know how they get on! Well, this year, we decided to lean in and buy a new milky air fryer to speed up the process of making matza pizzas, chips and vegetable patties for our toddler. Admittedly, our regular air fryer is usually used mainly for chips, but at a time of year where potatoes are the main carb, we thought it would be a perfect addition to our Pesach kitchen setup. We opted for something small, basic and inexpensive, but it’s been a game-changer so far, and we thought we’d publish this pizza fries recipe as our very first offering, because it’s simply too good not to share!
Crispy, gooey and comforting, this bowl of cheesy potatoes coated in flavourful pizza sauce (which makes a delicious gourmet matza pizza, too), was exactly what we needed yesterday after a long, busy day.
Quick and easy to prepare, we whipped this up quickly with what we had in the fridge and the limited Pesach larder, but the pizza sauce (parev) can be made up in advance, and in bulk, and served with potatoes, meat or on a slice of matza, topped with cheese and veggies for a winning dish every time. (The matza pizza can be cooked in the air fryer, too!) It also makes an excellent pasta sauce the rest of the year!
N.B. The pizza sauce uses a pan, not an air fryer!
Ingredients
For the pizza sauce:
- Half a tin Crushed Tomatoes
- Half a Red Onion, finely diced and salted
- 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
- Splash, Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Silan (or honey/sugar)
- A few leaves fresh Basil, torn
- Oil
For the Fries:
- 3 White Potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper), cubed
- 1 tbsp Dried Garlic Powder/Granules
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce
- 1 cup Grated Cheddar cheese
- Finely diced red/spring onion (optional)
- 1 tbsp oil
Method
For the pizza sauce:
- Fry off the onions in a little oil for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, paprika and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the silan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste, adjust seasoning to taste and stir in the fresh, torn basil leaves. Leave to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, serve or save for later. (Can be refrigerated or frozen).
For the pizza fries:
- Coat the cubed potatoes in oil, paprika and dried garlic then transfer to air fryer.
- Cook on high (205°C) for 23 minutes, tossing halfway through (or more frequently) for even cooking.
- Transfer into a separate bowl, coat with the pizza sauce and a sprinkling of the cheese, then transfer back to the air fryer.
- Top with the remaining cheese and a smattering of diced onion, then cook on high for a further 3 minutes or until brown, melty, gooey and delicious!
- Serve and enjoy!
