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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, often called keftedes, are a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek fritters offer a flavorful blend of hearty minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet flavour of tender leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the leeks well and trim off the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise along the length then into half-inch slices. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the softened leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor well with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your palms then form a couple of scoops into a patty, flattening a slightly. Put on a platter and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat oil in a pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the patties in small groups until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a plate topped with kitchen paper and permit to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese croquettes are a true treat. The crispy outside gives way to a soft interior. The leafy spinach imparts a bright, somewhat green taste, while the dairy gives a savory, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a colander for about 15 mins, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, carefully remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly until incorporated. If the dough appears too wet, mix in some more crumbs.

By hand, shape the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Seal and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the patties a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then put on kitchen roll.

Present with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only delicious but also a extremely wholesome bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to keep the lentils submerged if required.

Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the