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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, are a cherished delicacy in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a delicious combination of rich ground beef with the subtle, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks properly and cut away the base and most of the dark green parts. Slice in half lengthways then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep pan and fill with water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and season liberally with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a couple of scoops into a patty, flattening a slightly. Set on a platter and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a dish covered with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Present with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach with cheese patties are a real treat. The crispy outside reveals a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly green taste, while the cheese provides a rich, umami richness. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, crushed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, discarding any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, carefully squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Mix well until blended. If the dough seems too wet, incorporate some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and place them on a plate lined with baking paper. Wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown completely, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crispy exterior and moist center, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the dry lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including more water to keep the lentils immersed if required.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the