🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often called keftedes, represent a beloved delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties offer a delicious blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the green leeks properly and trim off the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into half-inch slices. Put in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and spice and flavor liberally with seasoning. Stir well using your palms then form a several spoonfuls into a patty, shaping a little. Set on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Take out the cooked croquettes to a plate lined with paper towel and permit to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a true pleasure. The crunchy outside gives way to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, somewhat natural flavor, while the dairy gives a rich, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, crushed spuds if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

If using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, strain in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the stove.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, spice, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir well until incorporated. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some more crumbs.

By hand, shape the preparation into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a plate topped with baking paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat cooking oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the fritters a handful for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown completely, then put on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a golden crust and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely wholesome bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Add the dry lentils in a pot and cover with enough cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring extra liquid to keep the legumes submerged if required.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture well and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat 50% of the