🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Small crispy fritters, typically known as keftedes, stand as a cherished delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a flavorful fusion of rich ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

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

Clean the green leeks well and cut away the base and the bulk of the dark green parts. Cut into halves along the length then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with cold water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your palms then shape a couple of spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a bit. Put on a plate and continue for the rest of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, cook the patties in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready fritters to a dish lined with kitchen paper and permit to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach patties are a genuine pleasure. The golden outside reveals a smooth center. The spinach adds a vibrant, moderately natural note, while the dairy provides a rich, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, mashed potatoes if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, getting rid of any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a big pot with a small amount hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any excess liquid and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with seasoning. Stir thoroughly until incorporated. If the dough seems too wet, add some extra crumbs.

By hand, mold the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample fresh water. Cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to keep the lentils submerged if needed.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the mixture well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat 50% of the