Crisp Artichokes with Smoky Tomato Beans

• 240 gtinned artichoke hearts in brine, drained weight
• 15 gplain flour
• 1medium egg, beaten
• 40 gdried breadcrumbs
• 20 mlolive oil, divided
• Fine salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 100 gonion, finely chopped
• 8 ggarlic, finely chopped
• 3 gsmoked paprika
• 400 gtinned chopped tomatoes
• 240 gtinned butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 80 mlwater
• 10 mllemon juice

Method

1. 1Drain the artichokes well and pat dry between pieces of kitchen paper. Halve large hearts so the pieces are roughly 3–4 cm across; keep smaller ones intact. Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three shallow bowls. Mix 10 ml of the olive oil into the crumbs with your fingertips until evenly damp.
2. 2Coat each artichoke piece lightly in flour, shake off the excess, dip in egg and let the excess drip off, then press into the oiled crumbs. Set on a plate while you start the sauce. Aim for a thin rough coating rather than a thick shell.
3. 3Heat the remaining 10 ml oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 6 minutes until softened and just golden at the edges. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and water. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and no longer tastes watery.
4. 4While the tomato sauce simmers, heat a 5–6 litre air fryer to 190°C for about 3 minutes. Arrange the artichokes in one layer with gaps. Air-fry for 10–13 minutes, turning carefully after 7 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the centres are piping hot. If they do not fit in one layer, cook two batches and add 13 minutes to the total.
5. 5Stir the butter beans into the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes until hot throughout. Add the lemon juice, then taste before seasoning with salt and black pepper. The sauce should be thick enough to cling to the beans but loose enough to spoon; add a small splash of water if it has reduced too far.
6. 6Spoon the beans into two shallow bowls and tumble the crisp artichokes over the top just before serving. Keep most of the crumb coating above the sauce so it stays crisp, with the lower pieces naturally resting in the beans.

Per serving

kcal

428

protein

20.9g

fibre

13.5g

carbs

52.8g

fat

14g