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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy fritters, commonly referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek patties deliver a delicious fusion of savory beef with the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks well and remove the roots and most of the green stalk. Chop in half along the length then into half-inch pieces. Put in a deep pan and cover with water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the cooked leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with pepper and salt. Mix well using your palms then mold a few spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a platter and proceed for the balance of the ingredients.

Preheat oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is hot, cook the croquettes in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the finished patties to a tray topped with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine treat. The golden exterior gives way to a smooth filling. The leafy spinach adds a bright, moderately natural taste, while the dairy gives a savory, savory smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with cooked, mashed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Place in a big pot with a little hot water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any excess liquid and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Preheat the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Mix completely until incorporated. If the preparation appears too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

Using your hands, shape the preparation into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an large egg, and set them on a tray topped with parchment paper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, warm oil to a level of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy completely, then put on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Put the lentils in a pan and submerge with enough water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to keep the legumes immersed if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat 50% of the