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Leek Patties

Small pan-fried patties, commonly called keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters offer a tasty fusion of rich beef with the gentle, slightly sweet taste of fresh leeks, rendering them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the green leeks well and remove the base and most of the green stalk. Cut in half along the length then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, parsley and paprika and flavor generously with seasoning. Mix thoroughly using your hands then shape a few tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a platter and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, fry the patties in small batches until crispy on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a plate covered with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach patties are a real delight. The crunchy outside opens up to a soft interior. The spinach brings a bright, moderately earthy flavor, while the dairy offers a savory, savory richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if needed
• 3 eggs
• Oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

For leafy greens, wash it well, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a medium heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out extra water.

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

Place the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Stir well until blended. If the preparation looks too wet, add some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes slightly larger than a nut but more compact than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then put on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious snack or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Put the lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample cold water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring extra liquid to ensure the pulses covered if necessary.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat 50% of the