🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy patties, often known as keftedes, stand as a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a delicious fusion of savory ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, and they are utterly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the green leeks well and trim off the base and most of the dark green parts. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm slices. Put in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season generously with seasoning. Stir well using your palms then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, shaping a slightly. Place on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the olive oil is ready, cook the croquettes in small groups until crispy on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this drops the heat of the cooking oil.) Transfer the cooked fritters to a dish topped with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful cheesy spinach patties are a real treat. The crunchy exterior opens up to a smooth center. The spinach brings a bright, slightly earthy taste, while the cheese gives a deep, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, mashed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

When using fresh spinach, rinse it well, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Put in a big pot with a little water over a medium heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely press out extra water.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and fry the onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Remove from the stove.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, grated nutmeg, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the dough appears too wet, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval croquettes slightly larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium heat, warm oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the patties a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy everywhere, then place on paper towel.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and tender interior, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Place the lentils in a pan and fill with enough cold water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding additional water to maintain the legumes covered if required.

Add the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the