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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy patties, commonly called keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek patties deliver a tasty blend of hearty minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, making them utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks carefully and trim off the base and the majority of the dark green parts. Slice lengthwise along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, dill, parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your fingers then mold a several tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Put on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the preparation.

Heat oil in a frying pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the fritters in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished croquettes to a tray topped with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These cheesy spinach patties are a real delight. The crunchy outside opens up to a creamy center. The spinach brings a fresh, slightly natural taste, while the dairy gives a rich, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

For raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the stove.

Place the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Stir completely until blended. If the mixture appears too soft, mix in some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, mold the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an large egg, and put them on a plate topped with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm cooking oil to a depth of about half an inch. Cook the fritters a handful for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and tender interior, these patties are not only tasty but also a wonderfully nutritious snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring more water to ensure the legumes covered if required.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Warm 50% of the