I know there have been a few books on how best to use your air fryer, but this latest one is rather special.

Gino’s Air Fryer Cookbook is by Gino D’Acampo and it focuses on Italian recipes the air fryer way. 

Published just a week or so ago by Bloomsbury at £22 for a hardback, it’s packed with a host of ideas and inspiration to make preparing Italian food much easier, more cost efficiently, but tasting just as delicious. 

Gino is one of the UK’s best loved chefs and well known to viewers of ITV’s This Morning.  He also stars in the hilarious programmes with Gordon Ramsay and Fred Siriex.   In the book Gino includes his top hacks as well as personal family stories linked to his recipes.  There’s a range of sections including: Classic Italian; Family Favourites; Ready in 20 and also The Med Diet (under 500 calories).  It really is a ‘bellisimo’ book and will make an excellent present for anyone who loves Italian food and has invested in an air fryer. 

About Gino D’Acampo

Gino D’Acampo was born into a large family in Napoli, Gino’s love of cooking developed from a young age when he was taught to cook by his mother and, at the age of 11, started working at his grandfather’s restaurant. After training at the Luigi de Medici Catering college, Gino came to London and was soon discovered as a TV talent.

Known for his authentic recipes and cheeky personality, and with a string of restaurants across the country to his name, Gino has risen through the ranks to become Britain’s best-loved Italian chef.

He lives in London and Sardinia with his wife and three children.

Here are a few of his air fryer recipes to show you how easy these recipes are.

Devilled chicken wings with smoked paprika and honey

(Ali di pollo alla diavola caramellizzate al miele) Serves 4

“My boys Luciano and Rocco absolutely love this, especially when they are watching a film and want easy finger food. The Calabrian chilli paste gives a sweet, smoky and very spicy flavour, and, together with the mascarpone which cools that down, the flavours are really a match made in heaven. You can make the wings as spicy as you like by simply adding more chilli or ‘nduja, or you can substitute the honey with maple syrup, or the mascarpone with cream cheese, if you like.”

1kg chicken wings 75g honey

1–3 tablespoons Calabrian chilli paste from a jar, or jarred chopped chillies, to taste

1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder 40g rice flour, or cornflour

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

50g ’nduja from a jar

150g mascarpone, or

Dolcelatte

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Place the chicken wings in a colander, mix in 1 teaspoon salt and let the skin dry out for 15 minutes while you get everything else ready.

To make the marinade, pour the honey into a large bowl and add the chilli paste or chopped chillies, vinegar, tomato purée and oil. Mix using a whisk, then set aside.

Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes.

In another large bowl, mix the garlic powder, flour, paprika and

½ teaspoon pepper, add the chicken wings and toss to get them evenly coated. Pour about three-quarters of the honey marinade over the chicken and mix well. Transfer to the air fryer fitted with the basket insert and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the wings and cook for a further 8 minutes until sticky and cooked through.

Meanwhile mix the ‘nduja with the remaining marinade. Drizzle the sauce mixture on top of the wings and cook for a final 1–2 minutes to melt. Plate up, dot with the mascarpone or Dolcelatte and serve with an ice-cold beer or a glass of full-bodied red wine.

 

Crispy-Crackling pork loin in milk and Sage

(Arrosto di maiale con latte e salvia) Serves 6

“Getting bored with traditional Sunday roasts? Try this super-easy recipe for a change and serve it with all your usual trimmings.

The milk makes the meat deliciously tender; it will appear as though it has slightly curdled, but don’t worry, that’s how it’s supposed to look after cooking. You can also replace the pork with a nice beef loin, just shorten the cooking time to match the way you like your beef cooked (see page 39). Substitute the sage with rosemary, too, if you prefer the flavour.”

1.25kg boneless rolled

pork loin joint with crackling, scored, removed from the fridge 1 hour before cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons sea salt flakes 600ml whole milk

3 garlic cloves, whole but roughly bashed

1 bay leaf

3 sage sprigs

Juice of ½ lemon and 2 broad strips of its zest, removed with a vegetable peeler

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

2 teaspoons finely chopped chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.

Dry the pork skin with kitchen paper, then rub it all over with the oil and sea salt flakes. Place in the air fryer drawer skin side up and cook for 25 minutes.

Pour the milk in at the side (not over the meat) and add the garlic, bay leaf, sage, zest strips, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Reduce the air fryer temperature to 160°C and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the pork, cover with foil and let rest for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, season the milk with the lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the parsley and chives. Carve the meat and serve it with the cooking juices poured over.

Lemon and almond polenta cake

(Torta di polenta, limoni e mandorle). Serves 6

“This is really special to me, not only because it was one of my mother’s specialities, but also because it was a traditional cake made every Easter Sunday without fail. I remember waking up to the aroma of it baking, and, to this day, it takes me back in time. Dessert, afternoon tea or – even better – a breakfast slice: perfect perfect perfect! Make sure to buy fine polenta or cornmeal rather than regular, and your butter must be soft so it combines easily. You can substitute the lemon juice with limoncello liqueur, if you prefer.”

125g unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus more for the tin

100g ground almonds 115g fine polenta

Fine salt

1 level teaspoon baking powder

175g caster sugar

2 eggs

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons (or see recipe introduction)

75ml whole milk

 

Grease a 16 × 9 × 7cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper.

Put the almonds, polenta, a pinch of salt, the baking powder and 115g of the sugar in a bowl and stir, so the dry ingredients are evenly mixed.

Make a well in the middle, crack in the eggs, add the butter, lemon zest and milk and beat on a medium speed with an electric whisk for about 3 minutes, working all the dry ingredients in from the sides to create a smooth batter.

Preheat the air fryer to 160°C for 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, flatten the top and bake for 20 minutes.

Reduce the air fryer temperature to 150°C and cook for a further

25 minutes, or for a couple of minutes less if your tin is slightly bigger and the batter is less deep, until cooked through and golden. You can check this by putting a cocktail stick or skewer in the middle of your cake, to make sure it comes out clean.

Meanwhile, mix the lemon juice and remaining 60g sugar in a jug, to dissolve. When the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, gradually brush or spoon the sugar mixture evenly all over until absorbed. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.

Extracted from Gino’s Air Fryer Cookbook: Italian Classics Made Easy by Gino D’Acampo. Published by Bloomsbury on 24th October (Hardback £22)
Photography credit: Haarala Hamilton.