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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These leek croquettes deliver a flavorful fusion of hearty beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of fresh leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks carefully and trim off the base and the majority of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into half-inch pieces. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and spice well with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your palms then shape a several scoops into a croquette, flattening a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the oil is ready, fry the fritters in small groups until crispy on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this drops the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a dish lined with paper towel and allow to drain.

Present with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach patties are a real delight. The golden crust opens up to a creamy filling. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, moderately natural note, while the dairy offers a savory, flavorful richness. You can substitute the dairy cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

For 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 bit of water over a medium flame. Once softened, drain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any excess liquid and set aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly remove excess liquid.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the preparation seems too loose, add some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, shape the preparation into elongated patties a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a tray lined with wax paper. Seal and cool for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat oil to a depth of about half an inch. Brown the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes each side, flipping so they are golden all over, then place on paper towel.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully healthy bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Place the brown lentils in a pot and fill with enough water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to ensure the legumes immersed if needed.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the mixture completely and put aside in a container.

Heat half of the