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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy patties, typically referred to as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters present a delicious blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of leeks, making them utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

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

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Put in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Combine well using your palms then form a several scoops into a patty, shaping a slightly. Place on a tray and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in batches until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a real delight. The golden outside reveals a creamy interior. The spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat earthy flavor, while the dairy gives a savory, flavorful richness. You can substitute the cheesy element with cooked, crushed potato if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, softened in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, clean it carefully, discarding any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any extra water and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, carefully remove excess liquid.

Heat the oil in a pan over a moderate heat and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and spice with seasoning. Mix completely until incorporated. If the preparation appears too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, shape the dough into oval croquettes slightly larger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Fry the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so they are crispy everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a highly wholesome bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Place the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with enough water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding extra liquid to ensure the lentils covered if required.

Add the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the