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Leek Patties

Bite-sized pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek patties offer a tasty blend of hearty beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Clean the fresh leeks well and cut away the root ends and most of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into 1.5cm slices. Put in a deep pan and cover with water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your palms then form a few spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a bit. Set on a plate and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the olive oil is ready, cook the patties in batches until golden on both sides. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a tray covered with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine delight. The golden crust opens up to a creamy interior. The spinach adds a vibrant, slightly earthy note, while the grated cheese provides a rich, umami richness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any tough stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any extra water and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Preheat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and season with seasoning. Stir well until blended. If the preparation looks too loose, mix in some additional breading.

With your fingers, form the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an chicken egg, and put them on a tray covered with wax paper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, warm olive oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a pan and fill with enough cold water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until nearly done, adding additional water to maintain the lentils immersed if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients completely and reserve in a bowl.

Warm half of the