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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite pan-fried fritters, typically known as keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These particular leek croquettes offer a flavorful combination of rich minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks properly and cut away the root ends and most of the green tops. Slice lengthwise along the length then into half-inch slices. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and spice well with pepper and salt. Mix well using your fingers then form a several scoops into a croquette, pressing a slightly. Place on a plate and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm olive oil in a pan to a depth of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is ready, cook the patties in small groups until crispy on both sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a plate lined with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a true delight. The golden outside opens up to a soft filling. The leafy spinach adds a bright, slightly natural flavor, while the dairy gives a savory, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with cooked, crushed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

When using leafy greens, wash it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium flame and fry the onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Remove from the flame.

Combine the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, grated nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with seasoning. Stir completely until incorporated. If the preparation appears too loose, mix in some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an large egg, and place them on a plate topped with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden completely, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Put the lentils in a pot and fill with ample cold water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until nearly done, pouring additional water to ensure the legumes covered if necessary.

Stir in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Warm a portion of the