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Keftedes me Prassa

Small crispy fritters, commonly called keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek fritters present a tasty fusion of savory minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks properly and cut away the roots and the majority of the dark green parts. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a large skillet and submerge with water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice generously with seasoning. Combine completely using your palms then form a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a bit. Set on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat cooking oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, cook the fritters in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Take out the cooked patties to a dish lined with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a genuine treat. The crunchy exterior opens up to a creamy center. The spinach brings a vibrant, slightly green flavor, while the dairy offers a savory, savory creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, mashed potato if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any stalks, and cut into it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, remove in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any extra water and set aside.

If using defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out extra water.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Take off the stove.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly until incorporated. If the mixture seems too wet, incorporate some extra breading.

Using your hands, mold the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an large egg, and set them on a plate lined with wax paper. Seal and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, warm olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

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

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the lentils in a pot and fill with ample cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to keep the legumes immersed if needed.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a bowl.

Warm half of the