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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, often called keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Jewish cuisine. These leek croquettes offer a delicious combination of hearty beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of fresh leeks, making them absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Wash the leeks carefully and remove the base and the bulk of the dark green parts. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and flavor generously with seasoning. Stir well using your palms then form a couple of scoops into a patty, pressing a bit. Put on a tray and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Heat oil in a pan to a depth of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, brown the patties in batches until crispy on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Remove the cooked croquettes to a dish lined with kitchen paper and allow to rest.

Present with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese fritters are a true pleasure. The crispy exterior opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat natural taste, while the cheese gives a rich, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, crushed spuds if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

When using raw spinach, rinse it well, getting rid of any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Place the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the mixture seems too soft, add some more breading.

Using your hands, shape the dough into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a tray covered with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Fry the patties a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy completely, then place on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Place the lentils in a pot and cover with enough fresh water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to maintain the lentils covered if required.

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

Heat 50% of the