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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried croquettes, typically referred to as keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek fritters present a tasty blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet taste of tender leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the base and most of the green stalk. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Put in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season generously with seasoning. Mix thoroughly using your hands then shape a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a slightly. Place on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat oil in a pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, brown the fritters in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished fritters to a plate topped with paper towel and allow to drain.

Present with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a smooth center. The spinach imparts a bright, slightly natural flavor, while the cheese offers a deep, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed spuds if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using leafy greens, clean it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, carefully remove extra water.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the onion and garlic cloves until softened, about four minutes. Take off the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Mix well until incorporated. If the preparation looks too soft, mix in some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with baking paper. Wrap and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy all over, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a golden crust and soft inside, these fritters are not only tasty but also a highly healthy bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Place the lentils in a pot and fill with enough water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, pouring additional water to ensure the lentils immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the