🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried fritters, commonly referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek patties present a flavorful combination of hearty beef with the delicate, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, making them truly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the fresh leeks properly and remove the base and the majority of the green stalk. Cut lengthwise along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and paprika and flavor generously with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your hands then mold a few scoops into a croquette, pressing a little. Set on a tray and proceed for the balance of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is ready, cook the croquettes in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray topped with absorbent paper and let to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach with cheese fritters are a genuine pleasure. The golden exterior gives way to a creamy center. The spinach adds a fresh, moderately earthy taste, while the dairy provides a savory, flavorful smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, pureed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

If using defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out extra water.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the stove.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and season with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the dough appears too loose, mix in some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, shape the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but less bulky than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over moderate heat, warm oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the fritters a handful for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden all over, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and fill with ample fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including more water to keep the legumes covered if required.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat 50% of the