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Keftedes me Prassa

Small crispy patties, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a flavorful fusion of rich minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Wash the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with cold water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and spice and spice well with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your hands then mold a few scoops into a croquette, flattening a little. Place on a tray and continue for the rest of the ingredients.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the patties in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Do not fill the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready croquettes to a tray topped with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine treat. The golden exterior opens up to a smooth center. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, somewhat green note, while the dairy gives a savory, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

When using fresh spinach, wash it carefully, removing any hard stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of water over a moderate heat. Once softened, remove in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and reserve.

If using previously frozen spinach, completely remove excess liquid.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, spice, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the preparation looks too loose, incorporate some extra breading.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate covered with wax paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the patties a handful for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden all over, then put on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and tender interior, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious appetizer or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Put the lentils in a pan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to keep the pulses covered if required.

Stir in the burghul and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture well and reserve in a container.

Preheat 50% of the