Crispy Sticks with Sauerkraut Baked in Air Fryer

01Method

1. 1

   Place the sauerkraut in a large bowl—keep any liquid that clings to it but do not squeeze or add extra. Mix in the softened lard, flour, salt, and caraway to taste. Work everything together into a cohesive dough by hand.

2. 2

   If the dough feels too sticky, work in a bit more flour; if it seems too dry, add a little sauerkraut liquid. Knead thoroughly by hand until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky or gummy.

3. 3

   Cut parchment paper to fit your air fryer basket and roll the dough directly onto it to a thickness of about 1–2 mm. You should have enough for roughly two sheets in a standard drawer-style fryer. Cut the rolled dough into sticks approximately 1 cm wide; cut them in half lengthwise so they are not too long or fragile.

4. 4

   Transfer the sheet with the cut sticks into the air fryer basket. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg yolk and scatter seeds generously over top—sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax, hemp, or poppy all work well. Leave the sticks attached to the sheet; bake them together and break apart after cooking to save time and effort. Bake at 160 °C for approximately 15 minutes, turning the sheet halfway through (around the 10-minute mark) so both sides become crispy and golden.