Air. Fried. Everything! Enjoy the freshness of polenta, coupled with creamy Ricotta and the uniquely delicious final touch of the tomato jam, that makes these bite-sized snacks a dream! Healthy savory snacks that all for all to enjoy, brought to you by Elizabeth Sanders!

Ingredients:

Polenta:

• 1 1/2 cups dried polenta
• 1 tsp minced fresh oregano
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp black pepper
• 1.5-2 tbsp olive & co green olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice flour for dusting

Ricotta Filling:

• 3/4 cup ricotta
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella 
• 2 tsp minced fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:

1. First, you’ll want to prep the filling, as it has to sit in the fridge to set for 30 mins to an hour before handling.
2. Mince the fresh sage leaves (you may want to mince the oregano on this step as well)
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix the fresh sage, salt and pepper into the ricotta cheese with a fork. Then add the shredded Mozzarella and continue to mix with the fork until well-combined.
4. Set bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until mixture is firm
5. Then get started on the polenta.
6. Begin by bringing 3 cups of water to a boil. 
7. While that is going, stir the minced oregano and salt and pepper into the dried polenta. 
8. When the water comes to a rapid bowl, whisk in the polenta. Make sure to whisk constantly while boiling the mixture for 3 minutes or so. When the polenta is creamy (before it gets spongy) take it off the heat and transfer to a bowl to prevent further cooking. Then whisk in the olive oil to ensure a smooth consistency. Feel free to add more olive oil if it seems like your polenta needs it :) 
9. Now it’s time to form the bites! Begin by tearing off a large square of plastic wrap and laying it on your work surface (this will help form the balls).
10. Then, take a large tablespoon of warm polenta and flatten it into a disc on the plastic wrap.
11. After that, take about a teaspoon of the filling and dollop it into the center of the ball. Then, gather up all corners of the plastic wrap and use your hands to twist the ends tightly so the polenta bite forms a round ball. 
12. Unwrap the ball once it’s as small as it will get, and place it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the polenta and filling. If the polenta starts to get spongy and tough to handle, I recommend warming it on low in the microwave so it doesn’t cook but is still warm enough so that it doesn’t crumble. This is a labor of love, I know, and I promise your patience will be rewarded when the bites are finished!!
13. Once all the balls have been formed, add 1/4 cup rice flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour, creating a thin outer-layer for extra crunch
14. Last step, almost there! Use a pastry brush to brush a light layer of o-live and co green olive oil on the outside of each ball before placing them in the air-fryer at 400 for 15-20 minutes (if your air-fryer is high-powered, I recommend turning the heat down to 375-80).
15. At the halfway point, use tongs to flip the balls over and brush with another light layer of the olive oil before re-inserting into the fryer.
16. When the balls are golden brown on the outside, arrange them on a platter with some homemade or store bought tomato jam. My favorite recipe is The Kitchn’s low and slow Tomato Jam (linked) – I use canned peeled roma tomatoes and omit the ginger.
17. Happy snacking! (or guest-impressing, because this will surely be a crowd-pleaser)