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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried patties, typically called keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of rich minced beef with the subtle, sweetly mild taste of tender leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the leeks properly and cut away the roots and the bulk of the green stalk. Cut lengthwise along the length then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Place in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Mix well using your palms then shape a several spoonfuls into a patty, shaping a little. Set on a plate and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Heat olive oil in a skillet to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in batches until golden on each side. (Do not fill the pan as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a tray lined with paper towel and let to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine pleasure. The golden crust gives way to a smooth filling. The spinach adds a bright, somewhat natural taste, while the dairy provides a rich, savory richness. You can substitute the cheesy element with boiled, crushed potatoes if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

For raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, completely press out extra water.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium heat and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until tender, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Put the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, spice, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir completely until incorporated. If the preparation appears too soft, mix in some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, form the preparation into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat cooking oil to a depth of about half an inch. Cook the patties a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy everywhere, then put on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely nutritious bite or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Put the lentils in a pan and fill with ample cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, pouring additional water to keep the lentils submerged if required.

Mix in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat half of the