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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy fritters, commonly called keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a tasty combination of savory beef with the subtle, mildly sweet flavour of tender leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Wash the leeks carefully and remove the roots and the majority of the dark green parts. Chop into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with cold water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and spice and season liberally with seasoning. Combine completely using your hands then mold a few spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a bit. Put on a plate and repeat for the balance of the preparation.

Preheat cooking oil in a skillet to a level of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the olive oil is ready, cook the croquettes in batches until crispy on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Transfer the finished patties to a plate covered with absorbent paper and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a genuine treat. The golden exterior gives way to a smooth interior. The leafy spinach adds a vibrant, slightly earthy taste, while the grated cheese provides a deep, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, pureed potatoes if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic until tender, about four minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with seasoning. Combine completely until blended. If the preparation seems too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

By hand, form the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Wrap and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a handful for two to three minutes per side, flipping so they are crispy all over, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome appetizer or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Put the brown lentils in a pot and fill with enough cold water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, adding additional water to ensure the legumes immersed if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat half of the