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Leek Patties

Petite fried croquettes, typically called keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek fritters deliver a flavorful blend of hearty ground beef with the subtle, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, making them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the leeks well and trim off the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch rounds. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, parsley and spice and flavor well with seasoning. Mix completely using your hands then form a several scoops into a croquette, pressing a bit. Put on a tray and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the fritters in small batches until crispy on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a tray topped with kitchen paper and let to drain.

Present with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a true pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the grated cheese provides a rich, savory smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using fresh spinach, clean it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out extra water.

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

Put the prepared spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with pepper and salt. Stir completely until incorporated. If the dough looks too wet, add some additional crumbs.

By hand, mold the preparation into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an large egg, and set them on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, preheat oil to a depth of about half an inch. Cook the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a golden crust and moist center, these fritters are not only tasty but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pot and submerge with ample fresh water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, pouring more water to keep the pulses submerged if necessary.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Preheat 50% of the