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Leek Patties

Bite-sized fried patties, typically referred to as keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Jewish cooking. These leek patties deliver a flavorful combination of hearty minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet taste of fresh leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and trim off the roots and the bulk of the green tops. Cut into halves longways then into half-inch rounds. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice generously with seasoning. Stir completely using your hands then shape a few spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a little. Set on a tray and continue for the rest of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the patties in batches until golden on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready patties to a tray covered with absorbent paper and allow to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese fritters are a real treat. The crunchy crust reveals a smooth filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the cheese provides a rich, flavorful smoothness. You can substitute the cheesy element with cooked, mashed spuds if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

For fresh spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any tough stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount liquid over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and put aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully remove excess liquid.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic cloves until softened, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine well until combined. If the mixture looks too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an large egg, and place them on a tray lined with baking paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm olive oil to a level of about half an inch. Fry the patties a handful for 2–3 minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy completely, then place on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a highly wholesome snack or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Add the lentils in a pan and submerge with enough water. Cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, including additional water to maintain the pulses submerged if necessary.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the