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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized fried patties, typically known as keftedes, are a cherished speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters present a flavorful blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet taste of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and trim off the root ends and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a deep pan and cover with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Drain the softened leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor liberally with pepper and salt. Mix well using your fingers then shape a few scoops into a ball, pressing a slightly. Place on a tray and proceed for the rest of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a skillet to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the patties in batches until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the finished fritters to a dish covered with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a real treat. The golden crust gives way to a creamy filling. The spinach imparts a vibrant, slightly earthy taste, while the dairy offers a rich, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, pureed potatoes if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using leafy greens, rinse it thoroughly, removing any tough stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a little water over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a sieve for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and minced garlic until tender, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a container and spice with seasoning. Mix thoroughly until combined. If the dough seems too soft, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a few at a time for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome bite or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Put the lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of fresh water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to keep the legumes immersed if needed.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat a portion of the