🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized fried patties, often called keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek patties present a tasty blend of hearty ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Thoroughly wash the leeks well and cut away the base and the bulk of the green tops. Cut in half lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Mix completely using your hands then shape a few spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a depth of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, brown the fritters in small batches until golden on each side. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray covered with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The golden outside reveals a creamy center. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, slightly earthy taste, while the grated cheese gives a deep, savory richness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with steamed, mashed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for frying (or use neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, clean it carefully, discarding any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once cooked, strain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any remaining moisture and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, carefully remove unwanted moisture.

Heat the oil in a pan over a moderate heat and saute the onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Take off the stove.

Combine the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until combined. If the dough looks too loose, add some additional breading.

By hand, shape the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an large egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Cook the patties a small batch for 2–3 minutes each side, flipping so they are crispy completely, then place on paper towel.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome bite or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with plenty of water. Cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, adding more water to ensure the pulses submerged if needed.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a container.

Preheat a portion of the