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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, typically known as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Jewish cooking. These particular leek fritters present a delicious combination of savory minced beef with the subtle, mildly sweet flavour of tender leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks carefully and remove the base and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and season well with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your hands then form a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, cook the patties in small groups until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a dish topped with kitchen paper and let to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach with cheese patties are a genuine delight. The crispy crust reveals a smooth interior. The fresh spinach adds a vibrant, slightly green note, while the dairy offers a rich, flavorful smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with boiled, pureed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using leafy greens, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then press out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out extra water.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with salt and pepper. Combine well until incorporated. If the mixture looks too soft, add some extra crumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat oil to a level of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a handful for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are crispy all over, then place on kitchen roll.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their crispy exterior and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, including more water to ensure the lentils covered if needed.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a container.

Preheat half of the