Crispy pap bites with mozzarella

INGREDIENTS 1L stock 2 cups maize meal 16 bocconcini (soft mozzarella balls) or blocks of mozzarella ½ cup cake flour about 3 eggs about 2 cups panko breadcrumbs olive oil in a spray bottle METHOD

1 Bring the stock to the boil in a large deep saucepan; add the maize meal in a thin, steady stream, whisking until the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce the heat to low; cook, while stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, for 30 minutes or until the mixture starts to pull away from the side of the pan. Stir frequently to prevent the mixture from catching.

2 Grease a deep 20cm square cake tin; line the base and sides with baking paper. Pour the hot maize meal into the prepared tin, and smooth out the top. Estimate where you will cut the squares and quickly push a mozzarella ball into the centre of each pap bite before the maize meal sets too hard – plan carefully so you don’t cut through the cheese later. Cover the tin and refrigerate for 3 hours to firm.

3 Turn the cooled maize meal out onto a board and cut it into 16 equalsized squares.

4 Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a second shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl. Roll the squares in the flour, one by one, shaking off the excess, dip in the eggs, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Spray generously all over with olive oil.

5 Preheat a 7.3L capacity air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.

6 Taking care, place a batch of pap bites (four at a time) in the air fryer basket; cook for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, or until golden-brown and crisp. Repeat cooking with the remaining pap bites.

Tip

For variation, the luxurious bocconcini can be rolled in dukkah, stuffed in Peppadews or wrapped in blanched spinach.