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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried patties, typically called keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Jewish culinary traditions. These particular leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of rich ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild taste of fresh leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks carefully and remove the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with cold water, then simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice well with seasoning. Mix completely using your palms then form a few scoops into a croquette, flattening a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the balance of the mixture.

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is ready, brown the croquettes in small batches until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a plate topped with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine treat. The golden outside gives way to a soft interior. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, somewhat earthy flavor, while the cheese provides a rich, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potatoes if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then press out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with previously frozen spinach, completely press out extra water.

Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir well until combined. If the mixture seems too soft, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into oval croquettes slightly larger than a walnut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then place on paper towel.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these fritters are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to maintain the pulses covered if required.

Add the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the mixture completely and put aside in a bowl.

Warm half of the