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Leek Patties

Bite-sized pan-fried croquettes, often called keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters present a delicious combination of savory beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, rendering them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks well and remove the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Mix well using your fingers then mold a couple of scoops into a croquette, shaping a bit. Place on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Remove the ready fritters to a tray topped with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These cheesy spinach fritters are a true delight. The crunchy exterior opens up to a creamy center. The spinach adds a vibrant, moderately natural taste, while the dairy gives a deep, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, crushed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any tough stems, and cut into it into large chunks. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with seasoning. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the mixture appears too wet, add some additional breading.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, preheat oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the patties a handful for 2–3 minutes each side, turning so they are crispy all over, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a highly healthy appetizer or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Put the lentils in a pan and cover with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, adding additional water to keep the legumes immersed if needed.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture completely and reserve in a container.

Heat 50% of the