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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried patties, commonly referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic cooking. These leek patties offer a delicious combination of savory minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet flavour of tender leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the green leeks properly and cut away the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Chop into halves along the length then into half-inch pieces. Put in a deep pan and fill with water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Combine thoroughly using your palms then shape a few spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a bit. Set on a plate and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this reduces the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a dish lined with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy crust gives way to a smooth interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat earthy flavor, while the grated cheese gives a savory, savory richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For leafy greens, wash it carefully, getting rid of any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once cooked, drain in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then press out any remaining moisture and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, carefully squeeze out excess liquid.

Heat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the cooked spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with seasoning. Stir well until blended. If the mixture appears too wet, incorporate some extra breading.

With your fingers, shape the preparation into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a handful for two to three minutes each side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then put on paper towel.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and moist center, these patties are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious snack or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with enough water. Boil over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to maintain the lentils immersed if needed.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a container.

Warm a portion of the