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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried fritters, often called keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These leek fritters present a tasty fusion of savory beef with the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the green leeks carefully and remove the roots and most of the green tops. Chop in half longways then into half-inch pieces. Put in a large skillet and cover with water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Mix well using your palms then shape a several scoops into a ball, shaping a little. Put on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is ready, fry the fritters in small groups until golden on each side. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready fritters to a tray topped with paper towel and permit to rest.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach with cheese patties are a true delight. The crispy outside reveals a soft filling. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat natural flavor, while the cheese offers a savory, savory richness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

For raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a little water over a medium flame. Once cooked, strain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out extra water.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until tender, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a container and spice with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough looks too soft, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, preheat cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Fry the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes each side, turning so they are crispy completely, then place on paper towel.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy snack or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Add the brown lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, adding extra liquid to keep the lentils covered if necessary.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Warm a portion of the