Air fry these rice paper garlic cheese pockets at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes. Soften each rice paper sheet in an egg-and-soy-sauce bath, spoon in a filling of 200 g feta, 100 g cheddar, 4 crushed garlic cloves and 1 egg, then fold into a triangle and air fry. The garlic mellows as it cooks for a rich, punchy hit, while the outside turns paper-thin crisp around a gooey, molten-cheese centre.
Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, mix the feta, shredded cheddar, crushed garlic and 1 egg into a creamy filling. Set aside.
- 2
In a shallow dish, whisk the second egg with the soy sauce to make a softening bath.
- 3
Dip a rice paper sheet in the bath just a few seconds until flexible, then lay it flat.
- 4
Spoon filling onto the centre and fold into a snug triangle to seal it in.
- 5
Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling.
- 6
Air fry at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
15:00
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Notes from our kitchen
The egg and soy bath does two jobs here: the soy seasons the wrapper and the egg helps the shell brown to a deeper gold in the air fryer. We dip each sheet for a few seconds only, until it just bends. Any longer and it turns sticky, tears when you fold, and never crisps up.
Fold the triangle snug and press the last flap firmly against the damp wrapper so it glues itself shut. If a corner is left open, melted cheddar leaks into the basket before the shell has set. At 15 minutes the surface should be blistered and deep gold; that is our cue to pull them.
Variations
- Oven method. No air fryer? Bake the pockets on a lined tray at 200°C (400°F) for about 18 minutes, turning once halfway, until both sides are golden and crisp.
- Stretchier filling. Swap the 100 g cheddar for low-moisture mozzarella if you want a longer cheese pull. Keep the feta and egg as they are so the filling stays bound.
- Milder garlic. Four crushed cloves give a punchy result even after cooking mellows them. For a gentler pocket, drop to two cloves and grate them finely so the flavour spreads evenly.
- Reheating leftovers. Cooked pockets keep in the fridge for 2 days. A few minutes back in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) restores the crisp shell; the microwave turns it chewy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren’t my rice paper pockets crispy?
Dip each sheet in the egg-soy bath just long enough to turn flexible, a few seconds only. Soaking too long leaves it waterlogged and chewy. Air fry the full 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F), and don’t crowd the basket so hot air circulates and crisps every side.
Can I make these garlic cheese pockets ahead?
Yes. Fold the filled triangles and refrigerate up to 24 hours before air frying. The egg in the filling helps them hold shape. Air fry straight from the fridge at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes; add a minute or two if the centre still feels cool.
What can I swap for feta in the filling?
Ricotta or cream cheese both work for a milder, creamier pocket, keeping the 200 g weight. Goat cheese adds tang similar to feta. Whatever you choose, keep the 100 g shredded cheddar and 1 egg so the filling stays bound and melts evenly.
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