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Leek Patties

Small fried fritters, typically called keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek patties deliver a tasty fusion of rich ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks carefully and trim off the base and the majority of the green stalk. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly using your fingers then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a bit. Set on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the heat of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a dish topped with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The golden exterior gives way to a soft interior. The spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat earthy taste, while the cheese provides a savory, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, crushed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

When using leafy greens, clean it carefully, removing any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once cooked, strain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any extra water and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, completely remove extra water.

Warm the oil in a pan over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. If the dough appears too wet, incorporate some extra breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, shape the dough into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the patties a handful for 2–3 minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy snack or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Place the lentils in a pan and submerge with enough fresh water. Cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, adding extra liquid to ensure the legumes immersed if necessary.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a container.

Heat a portion of the