Air-Fryer Potato Croquettes

Ingredients

• 1000 g Potatoes for mashing, such as Bintje or Agria
• 50 g Unsalted butter
• 3 pieces Fresh egg yolks
• 2 pieces Fresh whole eggs
• 80 g All-purpose flour T45 or T55
• 140 g Plain fine breadcrumbs
• 25 ml Neutral oil in a spray bottle or sunflower oil
• 2 tsp Fine salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 pinch Ground nutmeg
• 0.25 bunches Fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Wash the potatoes without peeling them, place them in a large pot of cold salted water, bring to a simmer, then cook over medium heat for 25 to 35 minutes, until a knife slides into the center without resistance. Keep the water at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil to prevent the potatoes from becoming waterlogged.
2. Drain the potatoes, let them cool just enough to handle, then peel them while still hot. Pass them through a potato ricer or food mill over a clean saucepan. Do not use a blender, which would make the pulp elastic.
3. Dry the pulp over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring with a spatula, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan and the purée pulls away in a soft mass. This step is essential: the purée should smell of hot potatoes, not cooking water.
4. Off the heat, stir in the unsalted butter, fine salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing vigorously after each addition, until you have a smooth, firm, satiny dough that holds on the spatula.
5. Spread the mixture in a shallow dish, cover it directly on the surface, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The mixture should become firm enough to roll without sticking excessively to your hands.
6. Prepare three shallow dishes: flour in the first, beaten whole eggs in the second, and fine breadcrumbs in the third. Lightly salt the beaten eggs. Keep one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the egg to achieve a clean coating.
7. Shape the chilled mixture into even small cylinders. Roll them first in the flour, shaking off the excess, then coat them completely in the beaten egg and roll them in the breadcrumbs. For a sturdier shell, dip them very lightly in egg again and roll them in breadcrumbs a second time.
8. Place the breaded croquettes on a tray and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. They should be cold and firm to the touch, which helps prevent cracking during air-fryer cooking.
9. Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C for 3 minutes. Lightly spray the basket with the neutral oil, arrange the croquettes in a single layer without crowding, then mist their surface very lightly. The breadcrumbs should be just satiny, never wet.
10. Cook at 190 °C for 10 to 14 minutes, turning the croquettes gently halfway through. They are ready when the coating is evenly golden, dry to the touch, and the ends begin to crackle slightly.
11. Remove the croquettes with soft-tipped tongs or a spatula and let them rest for 2 minutes on a rack so the steam can escape without softening the coating. Sprinkle with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley just before serving.
12. Serve immediately, piping hot, with a dressed green salad or as a side for roast meat, as in a classic bistro service.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

504.8 kcal

Protein

15.85 g

Carbohydrate

66.53 g

Fat

20.16 g

Fibre

6.67 g

Calcium

95.97 mg

Iron

0.85 mg

Magnesium

42.79 mg