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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy fritters, typically called keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek croquettes offer a tasty combination of rich minced beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the leeks properly and cut away the base and the bulk of the green tops. Chop in half longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a deep pan and submerge with water, then cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Strain the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season well with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly using your hands then mold a few scoops into a patty, flattening a slightly. Place on a tray and proceed for the rest of the preparation.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, fry the patties in small batches until crispy on each side. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the cooked fritters to a tray covered with kitchen paper and permit to rest.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These spinach and cheese patties are a genuine treat. The golden exterior opens up to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, moderately earthy note, while the cheese offers a deep, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened in the fridge in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, wash it well, discarding any stalks, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a big pot with a small amount liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

For previously frozen spinach, carefully press out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly until combined. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some additional breading.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a plate lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are golden everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious snack or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry 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, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Add the brown lentils in a pan and submerge with enough cold water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to ensure the lentils submerged if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients completely and reserve in a bowl.

Preheat 50% of the