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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy croquettes, typically referred to as keftedes, represent a beloved speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes present a tasty fusion of hearty minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet taste of tender leeks, and they are utterly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the root ends and most of the green tops. Cut in half longways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a large skillet and submerge with water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and put in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season well with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then shape a several tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Set on a platter and repeat for the rest of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is hot, cook the patties in batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished patties to a plate covered with paper towel and permit to rest.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese fritters are a real delight. The golden outside reveals a soft interior. The spinach adds a bright, moderately earthy note, while the grated cheese gives a savory, umami smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, crushed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the diced onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Combine the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the dough seems too soft, incorporate some additional crumbs.

By hand, mold the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, heat oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then put on paper towel.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Add the brown lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample fresh water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding extra liquid to ensure the lentils immersed if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the mixture well and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm a portion of the