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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters offer a flavorful blend of savory beef with the delicate, sweetly mild essence of fresh leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the roots and the bulk of the green tops. Slice in half along the length then into 1.5cm rounds. Put in a large skillet and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor liberally with seasoning. Combine well using your fingers then mold a several scoops into a patty, shaping a slightly. Put on a platter and continue for the balance of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a pan to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is hot, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this drops the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a dish lined with paper towel and permit to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach croquettes are a real treat. The crispy exterior opens up to a creamy filling. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, slightly earthy flavor, while the cheese gives a rich, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, crushed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

If using fresh spinach, clean it well, discarding any hard stems, and cut into it into large chunks. Transfer in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out extra water.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the diced onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the dough appears too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, mold the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, heat oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Add the brown lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of cold water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring additional water to maintain the lentils covered if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Heat half of the