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Leek Croquettes

Petite crispy fritters, commonly called keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek fritters deliver a flavorful combination of hearty ground beef with the delicate, sweetly mild flavour of fresh leeks, making them absolutely irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the leeks properly and trim off the base and the bulk of the green tops. Chop in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Strain the leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your palms then form a few spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a slightly. Put on a platter and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, fry the patties in small groups until crispy on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the finished fritters to a dish lined with kitchen paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese patties are a real delight. The golden crust reveals a creamy filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, slightly green note, while the grated cheese gives a savory, flavorful smoothness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, wash it carefully, discarding any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of liquid over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any extra water and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, carefully remove excess liquid.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with seasoning. Stir well until incorporated. If the dough appears too loose, incorporate some more crumbs.

Using your hands, form the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat cooking oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden completely, then put on kitchen roll.

Present with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy snack or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Put the brown lentils in a pot and cover with plenty of water. Cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, adding extra liquid to keep the pulses submerged if required.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Preheat 50% of the