🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried croquettes, often called keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters offer a flavorful blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the roots and the majority of the dark green parts. Slice into halves along the length then into half-inch rounds. Transfer in a deep frying pan and cover with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor liberally with seasoning. Mix thoroughly using your hands then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a bit. Set on a platter and repeat for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat oil in a skillet to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot, cook the patties in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a dish covered with paper towel and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach and cheese fritters are a genuine pleasure. The golden exterior gives way to a soft filling. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly green taste, while the grated cheese provides a rich, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, mashed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a medium flame. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. If the dough looks too soft, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, heat olive oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Fry the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes each side, turning so they are golden everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to ensure the pulses immersed if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the