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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried croquettes, typically referred to as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a tasty combination of savory minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of tender leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Cut in half longways then into half-inch pieces. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until softened.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your fingers then form a couple of scoops into a ball, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and continue for the rest of the mixture.

Preheat oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is hot, cook the fritters in batches until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished fritters to a tray lined with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a true pleasure. The crispy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The fresh spinach brings a bright, slightly earthy flavor, while the grated cheese offers a deep, savory creaminess. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, clean it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a little water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with seasoning. Stir completely until combined. If the dough seems too soft, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, mold the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat cooking oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Cook the patties a small batch for 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and moist center, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a extremely wholesome bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Place the brown lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring more water to keep the pulses submerged if necessary.

Stir in the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a bowl.

Warm half of the