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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a tasty blend of savory minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild taste of leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the green leeks well and cut away the root ends and most of the dark green parts. Slice into halves along the length then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a large skillet and cover with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your palms then shape a few tablespoonfuls into a patty, flattening a little. Place on a platter and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, fry the patties in small groups until crispy on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a tray topped with paper towel and let to rest.

Present with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine pleasure. The crispy outside reveals a creamy center. The spinach brings a bright, somewhat green note, while the cheese offers a savory, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough looks too loose, add some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an chicken egg, and set them on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm oil to a amount of about half an inch. Cook the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and moist center, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, adding more water to maintain the pulses covered if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and set aside in a container.

Heat a portion of the