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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, are a cherished signature dish in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek croquettes present a tasty blend of hearty ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, and they are utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Clean the leeks carefully and trim off the roots and the majority of the green tops. Chop in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Transfer in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Drain the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Combine well using your fingers then shape a several spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Set on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, brown the fritters in batches until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a plate topped with paper towel and let to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These cheesy spinach patties are a true pleasure. The crunchy outside gives way to a soft filling. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, slightly natural taste, while the cheese provides a rich, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with boiled, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and put aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove excess liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Take off the stove.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the preparation looks too loose, incorporate some more breading.

Using your hands, form the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but more compact than an chicken egg, and place them on a tray topped with wax paper. Seal and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are crispy completely, then put on paper towel.

Present with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully wholesome snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring additional water to keep the pulses submerged if required.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients well and set aside in a bowl.

Preheat a portion of the