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Leek Patties

Petite crispy croquettes, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of rich minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of fresh leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks well and cut away the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Chop in half longways then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Place on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the finished fritters to a tray topped with kitchen paper and let to cool.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a real delight. The crunchy crust reveals a smooth filling. The fresh spinach brings a bright, moderately natural taste, while the grated cheese gives a savory, savory creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, pureed potatoes if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

When using leafy greens, wash it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a little water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic cloves until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Combine the prepared spinach, fried onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with salt and pepper. Combine completely until incorporated. If the dough appears too loose, add some extra breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the preparation into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the patties a few at a time for two to three minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and moist center, these fritters are not only tasty but also a extremely healthy appetizer or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, adding additional water to maintain the pulses immersed if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until softened. Drain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the