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Leek Patties

Petite fried fritters, typically referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties present a delicious combination of hearty beef with the gentle, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks properly and cut away the root ends and the majority of the dark green parts. Chop lengthwise longways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly using your fingers then form a several scoops into a ball, pressing a little. Put on a plate and continue for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the fritters in small groups until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the cooked croquettes to a plate lined with paper towel and let to cool.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The crispy exterior reveals a soft filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, moderately natural flavor, while the cheese offers a rich, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

For fresh spinach, clean it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount water over a medium flame. Once wilted, strain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely press out unwanted moisture.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Combine completely until blended. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the preparation into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the patties a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these patties are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample fresh water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, adding more water to keep the lentils covered if necessary.

Add the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a container.

Warm 50% of the