Breaded Gherkins with Dill Sauce

📝 Ingredients

• 1 jar of large gherkins (190 g drained, about 8)
• 25 g plain flour
• 1 egg
• 50 g breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp rapeseed oil
• 150 g 2% Greek yoghurt
• 10 g fresh dill
• ½ lemon
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Air fryer
• 3 shallow bowls
• Bowl and fine grater
• Pastry brush
• Kitchen tongs
• Kitchen paper

📖 Steps

1. Drain the gherkins and cut each one lengthways into quarters. Spread them out on a double layer of kitchen paper, pat them with another sheet and leave to dry for 10 min: if they are damp, the breading slides off and goes soft during cooking.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: mix the Greek yoghurt with the finely chopped dill, the grated zest and juice of the half lemon, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Keep in the fridge, as it should be served well chilled.
3. Set out three shallow bowls: the flour in the first, the egg beaten with a fork in the second, and the breadcrumbs mixed with the paprika and a pinch of salt in the third. Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for 3 min.
4. Bread the sticks a few at a time: roll them in the flour, tapping off the excess, dip them in the egg, then press them into the breadcrumbs to coat them well. Keep one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the egg, so you don't end up breading your fingers.
5. Brush the basket with a little oil, arrange the sticks in a single layer without them touching, then dab them with oil using the brush, without rubbing so as not to pull off the breading. Cook in two batches if needed: crowded together, they steam and stay soft.
6. Cook for 8 min at 200 °C, turning the sticks halfway through with tongs, until the breading is golden and crispy. Without an air fryer: 12 to 14 min in the oven at 220 °C on a baking tray lined with baking paper, turned halfway through.
7. Leave to cool for 2 min on kitchen paper, as the centre of the gherkin stays piping hot. Serve straight away with the well-chilled dill sauce: the breading softens as it cools.