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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, typically known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Jewish cooking. These particular leek croquettes offer a flavorful fusion of savory ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them truly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the base and most of the dark green parts. Chop into halves longways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor well with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly using your fingers then mold a several spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Transfer the cooked fritters to a dish lined with kitchen paper and permit to rest.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These spinach with cheese croquettes are a real treat. The crunchy crust opens up to a creamy filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, somewhat natural note, while the grated cheese provides a rich, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheesy element with cooked, pureed potatoes if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it well, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once softened, remove in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Combine completely until incorporated. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a tray covered with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes each side, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crispy exterior and moist center, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully wholesome snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and cover with enough water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including more water to ensure the lentils covered if required.

Stir in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the ingredients thoroughly and reserve in a container.

Preheat 50% of the