🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a beloved delicacy in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes present a tasty combination of rich minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the base and most of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, parsley and spice and flavor liberally with salt and pepper. Stir well using your fingers then shape a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a bit. Set on a tray and continue for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a depth of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the heated oil is hot, fry the patties in small groups until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished croquettes to a plate lined with paper towel and allow to cool.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine delight. The golden outside opens up to a soft filling. The spinach imparts a fresh, moderately green taste, while the dairy offers a savory, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using raw spinach, rinse it carefully, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any excess liquid and reserve.

For defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

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

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix completely until combined. If the dough seems too wet, add some more crumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a tray covered with wax paper. Seal and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a level of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a handful for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden everywhere, then put on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crispy exterior and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious snack or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Put the brown lentils in a pot and fill with ample water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring additional water to keep the legumes immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Drain the mixture well and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat half of the