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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried patties, often called keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek patties deliver a tasty blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the roots and the majority of the dark green parts. Chop into halves along the length then into 1.5cm rounds. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Strain the softened leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and season generously with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your hands then form a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a bit. Place on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, fry the croquettes in batches until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the finished fritters to a dish topped with paper towel and let to rest.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a true treat. The crispy exterior opens up to a creamy filling. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, slightly natural taste, while the dairy offers a rich, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, pureed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using raw spinach, wash it well, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a colander for about 15 minutes, then remove any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Put the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the dough appears too wet, add some extra breading.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a plate topped with parchment paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Add the dry lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, including additional water to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Warm a portion of the