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Leek Patties

Small pan-fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These particular leek patties present a flavorful blend of savory beef with the gentle, slightly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the green leeks well and remove the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your palms then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a slightly. Place on a plate and proceed for the rest of the preparation.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the heated oil is ready, brown the fritters in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the finished croquettes to a dish covered with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine delight. The golden outside reveals a smooth center. The spinach imparts a vibrant, slightly earthy note, while the grated cheese gives a rich, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, pureed spuds if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a moderate heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Mix completely until incorporated. If the preparation looks too wet, add some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pan and fill with ample cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, adding additional water to ensure the lentils immersed if needed.

Stir in the burghul and continue cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients well and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat a portion of the