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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy fritters, often called keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Jewish cooking. These particular leek fritters present a delicious blend of rich minced beef with the delicate, sweetly mild taste of tender leeks, rendering them truly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the leeks properly and trim off the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Chop in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Put in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your fingers then shape a few spoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a little. Place on a platter and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm cooking oil in a pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, cook the patties in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towel and permit to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a true treat. The crunchy exterior opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly earthy flavor, while the cheese provides a deep, savory creaminess. You can substitute the cheesy element with cooked, mashed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using raw spinach, rinse it well, discarding any tough stems, and cut into it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any extra water and put aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium flame and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the preparation appears too soft, mix in some extra breading.

By hand, shape the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, warm cooking oil to a level of about 1cm. Cook the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a golden crust and soft inside, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy appetizer or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of water. Simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring additional water to keep the lentils immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients well and reserve in a container.

Heat a portion of the