Jake Grigg - Pimp Your Air Fryer

If you are hoping for a standard air fryer cookbook, walk away now!

Pimp Your Air Fryer

Air Fryer Guy

Jake Grigg

PIMP YOUR AIR FRYER

First published in Australia in 2022 by

Simon & Schuster (Australia) Pty Limited

Suite 19A, Level 1, Building C, 450 Miller Street, Cammeray, NSW 2062

Sydney New York London Toronto New Delhi

Visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.au

Jake Grigg 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 9781761104695

ISBN: 9781761104701 (ebook)

Cover and internal design: Meng Koach

Cover photography: Lawrence Furzey Photography

Cover and internal illustrations: Brent Smith

For my nephew, Nate.

I f you are hoping this is a standard air fryer cookbook, please close the pages, put the book back on the shelf and walk away. This book is not for you.

Im tired of the same old cookbooks with the same old recipes, so I decided to make something that goes against the grain: a recipe book that is not only super fun and light-hearted, but one that promotes creativity and challenges the fundamentals of cooking.

My name is Jake and until recently, I was just a regular human man who enjoyed cooking. Then I started making air fryer cooking videos on TikTok and Instagram under the name @airfryerguy. Nowadays, Im still a human man, but one with an audience. Thats a scary thought!

I dont have a cooking background and Im definitely not a qualified chef, but I love cooking and Im creative. My background is in music, which is why I partner all my TikTok recipes with jingles. You gotta put it in the air fryyyyya. I believe that cooking should be fun and creative and that is exactly the vibe of this book.

My parents are great cooks and I have fond memories of watching them dancing, singing and hugging in the kitchen while cooking together. Dinner was a family event we always ate together at the table and talked about our day. Most nights we would ask each other about our favourite foods and why we liked or disliked certain foods. Mum loved creating new recipes and, without fail, they always tasted great. Dad used to take me to the bakery after school and we dreamed about owning our own bakery one day, joking that it wasnt possible because we would eat all of the stock. Ive always had a huge appetite.

Air fryers are a phenomenon. I dont think there has been this much hype about a kitchen appliance since the microwave. Ive tried putting everything and anything into an air fryer from fairy floss to watermelon, you name it, Ive air fried it! But one thing is for sure, air frying is amazing and its here to stay. Whether you have just bought an air fryer and you are still learning the tricks of the trade, or you are an air fryer OG and looking to take your air frying to the next level, you will already know how incredible that little machine is. Its changed my life and the lives of many people around the world. Who wouldve thought that hot circulating air could have so much power?

I hope you enjoy these recipes and they inspire you to get creative in the kitchen. Just remember: its all about having fun.

New to air frying? Well, sorry to disappoint you but air fryers arent really fryers. They are full of hot air and use air rather than fat for cooking. So your fish and chips might taste a little different from your favourite takeaway shop when cooked in an air fryer BUT they will be much less messy, use way less fat, be crispy and taste just as good, if not better!

My five tips for using an air fryer:

1. Dont overcrowd. Leave plenty of space so air can circulate around the food. That is what gives you crispy results.
2. Before you begin, always spray the basket with cooking oil so nothing sticks unless the recipe uses baking paper.
3. Dont be scared to open the air fryer as often as you like to check on your food. You wont lose much heat, its not an oven!
4. Use toothpicks to hold down light food. It gets windy in there!
5. Air fryers cook food quickly, so if you are cooking something that has packet instructions for an oven, you can almost half the cooking time.

I used to suck at remembering recipes. I just couldnt remember every step because my brain chose to focus on other important issues, such as would people still like me if I had two noses? Who nose?

Anyway, I did learn a way to trick my brain into remembering recipes without having to focus too much. How? Jingles and rhymes. For every recipe I made, I would make up a little rhyme using the steps and ingredients as the lyrics and sing a tune while I was cooking. So, the next time I cooked that recipe, I just had to remember the song rather than the method.

Alongside each of these recipes will be a rhyme to help you remember the steps

You gotta put it in the air fryer

This is the easiest snack and really quick to cook,

With only four ingredients, you need to have a look.

Place the bread onto a plate then get your pizza sauce,

Spread the sauce onto the bread using a knife, of course.

Add pepperoni and cheese, then press it down a bit,

So the cheese will stay in place when you air fry it.

Then put it in the air fryer at 180 degrees,

Celsius, of course for six minutes, please.

Makes 2

• 2 slices bread
• 2 tablespoons pizza sauce
• 6 slices pepperoni
• 2 slices cheese

• Preheat air fryer to 180C.
• Place slices of bread onto a plate or flat surface and spread pizza sauce evenly over the bread, making sure to completely cover the bread.
• Place slices of pepperoni on top of the sauce and a slice of cheese on top of the pepperoni. Slightly press the cheese down into the bread so that it sticks to the sauce and doesnt go flying around the air fryer. (If you find that the cheese wont stay in place during cooking, secure it with a toothpick.)
• Place the pizzas into the air fryer and cook at 180C for 6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden and the bread is toasty.

Get your puff pastry, cut out some rounds,

If you dont have a cutter use a bowl upside down.

Put a Ferrero in the middle of the disc,

Then fold the pastry over and press it down a bit.

Use a fork to seal the edges so nothing can escape,

Then cover it with butter this will make the pastry flake.

Cook it in the air fryer until it's golden brown,

This delicious treat will turn your frown upside down!

Makes 8

• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 8 Ferrero Rochers
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted