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Keftedes me Prassa

Small fried fritters, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Jewish cooking. These particular leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of rich ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild taste of leeks, and they are truly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and trim off the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice in half longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a deep pan and submerge with water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, parsley and paprika and flavor well with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your palms then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a little. Place on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is sizzling, cook the fritters in batches until crispy on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the ready croquettes to a dish covered with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese patties are a real treat. The golden exterior opens up to a soft interior. The spinach adds a fresh, slightly natural taste, while the cheese offers a rich, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, pureed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using leafy greens, clean it carefully, removing any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any extra water and set aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir completely until blended. If the mixture looks too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

By hand, shape the preparation into oval croquettes slightly larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and put them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat oil to a depth of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes each side, flipping so they are golden brown all over, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and soft inside, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a highly healthy bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Add the dry lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of water. Boil over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, pouring extra liquid to maintain the legumes immersed if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the mixture well and reserve in a bowl.

Heat half of the