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Leek Patties

Small pan-fried croquettes, typically called keftedes, represent a cherished speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek patties present a tasty fusion of hearty beef with the delicate, slightly sweet taste of fresh leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the root ends and most of the green tops. Cut in half along the length then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Strain the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your hands then form a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a little. Put on a platter and proceed for the rest of the preparation.

Heat oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the oil is ready, brown the fritters in batches until golden brown on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the cooked croquettes to a plate topped with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The crispy exterior gives way to a soft filling. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the cheese gives a deep, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with boiled, pureed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, thawed for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

When using raw spinach, clean it carefully, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, completely press out excess liquid.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough looks too loose, mix in some extra breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Cook the fritters a handful for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden all over, then put on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy snack or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

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

Add the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the ingredients well and put aside in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the