You Gotta Air-Fry Wet Tortellini
The deep fryer is the ideal appliance for the discerning stone lover. It’s fast, has a very fast preheat time, and every frozen treat I put in it comes out more crunchy than it is microwaved – or even baked! – analogues. Pizza buns, french fries, frozen egg buns: everything turns out golden, hot and chewable.
Most of this type of food can be thrown into the basket or tray of the deep fat fryer without further processing or preparation, and then removed after 10-15 minutes with excellent results. This is mainly due to the high amount of fat and water present in such snacks, which, on the contrary, is the reason why it is not so good to throw a handful of frozen tortellini into the deep fryer.
I mean, tortellini air-fried from a frozen or chilled state is not scary. It’s just dry with a shiny, soft, cracker-like appearance. It’s almost enjoyable, especially if you’re dipping it in tomato sauce, but I wanted something a little closer to the cheese crust fried pasta you find on the menu at a sports bar or mid-range diner. However, I didn’t want to resort to egg washing.
For me, the recipe for a good deep fryer is simplicity. I want to toss it, wait no more than 15 minutes, and then put it in my mouth. While I’m sure many of the “air-fried ravioli / tortellini” recipes, which involve a three-step breading process, are delicious, they don’t fit my deep fryer philosophy. Fortunately, I found a compromise – they just need to get wet.
A quick dip (about three minutes) in boiling water does two things: it adds moisture to the pasta dough, which prevents it from drying out in the basket, and it gives the seasonings (and the shaker parmesan) something to stick to.
This is just a recipe, which is why I love my deep fryer “recipes”. Simply boil some water, cook the pasta until it floats, then remove it with a spider (or slotted spoon) and transfer to a bowl. Season the tortellini to taste – I used the green-topped Kraft Parma and Lowry’s Garlic Salt – and let it cover. Place the tortellini in a 400 ℉ deep fat fryer for 13-16 minutes, until hot, golden and crispy on the outside. Serve with marinara or some sort of marinara-like dipping sauce (I used pizza sauce).