🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a cherished speciality in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek patties deliver a delicious combination of savory beef with the subtle, mildly sweet flavour of leeks, rendering them absolutely irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the roots and most of the green tops. Chop into halves along the length then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Stir completely using your palms then form a couple of scoops into a ball, flattening a slightly. Set on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is hot, brown the fritters in small groups until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked croquettes to a tray lined with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a true treat. The crispy outside gives way to a soft center. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, moderately green flavor, while the grated cheese offers a deep, flavorful creaminess. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with steamed, crushed spuds if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using raw spinach, rinse it carefully, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Put in a big pot with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and set aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the mixture appears too loose, mix in some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and place them on a plate topped with parchment paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil to a depth of about half an inch. Cook the fritters a handful for 2–3 minutes per side, turning so they are golden all over, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a golden crust and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy snack or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Add the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to maintain the legumes immersed if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until softened. Drain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the