🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy patties, commonly referred to as keftedes, represent a beloved speciality in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek patties offer a delicious combination of rich beef with the delicate, sweetly mild essence of leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and cut away the root ends and most of the dark green parts. Chop into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm slices. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly using your palms then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a bit. Set on a plate and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a tray covered with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a real delight. The crispy exterior reveals a soft interior. The spinach adds a bright, somewhat earthy flavor, while the dairy provides a deep, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

When using raw spinach, clean it carefully, discarding any tough stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a little water over a medium heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, spice, red spice, breading and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir completely until incorporated. If the mixture looks too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

By hand, shape the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate lined with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat cooking oil to a level of about half an inch. Fry the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, rotating so they are golden completely, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only tasty but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Put the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to keep the legumes immersed if needed.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until softened. Strain the ingredients well and put aside in a container.

Heat a portion of the