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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried fritters, typically referred to as keftedes, represent a cherished speciality in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These particular leek patties offer a tasty fusion of hearty ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of fresh leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the green leeks carefully and trim off the base and the bulk of the green tops. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Put in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Stir well using your fingers then mold a few spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Put on a platter and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the heat of the oil.) Remove the ready croquettes to a tray covered with paper towel and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach with cheese fritters are a real treat. The crispy exterior reveals a smooth filling. The spinach adds a fresh, somewhat natural taste, while the dairy provides a savory, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, pureed potato if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using leafy greens, rinse it well, discarding any tough stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a medium flame. Once softened, strain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, carefully remove excess liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a pan over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a container and season with salt and pepper. Stir well until combined. If the dough seems too soft, incorporate some more crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and put them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a amount of about 1cm. Fry the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only tasty but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Add the lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, pouring extra liquid to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Preheat a portion of the