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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Sephardic culinary traditions. These particular leek fritters offer a flavorful combination of savory beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, and they are absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks well and remove the base and the bulk of the green tops. Cut into halves longways then into 1.5cm rounds. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Mix well using your fingers then mold a few scoops into a ball, pressing a little. Put on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the finished patties to a plate covered with kitchen paper and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach and cheese fritters are a real treat. The golden exterior gives way to a smooth center. The spinach brings a bright, slightly green taste, while the dairy offers a deep, savory richness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the flame.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine well until combined. If the mixture seems too wet, mix in some more breading.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then put on paper towel.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a highly wholesome bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding extra liquid to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Add the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the mixture thoroughly and reserve in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the