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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, represent a cherished delicacy in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek patties present a tasty blend of rich ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of fresh leeks, and they are utterly addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks well and trim off the base and the majority of the green stalk. Cut into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Transfer in a deep pan and cover with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your palms then mold a couple of scoops into a patty, shaping a slightly. Set on a plate and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Heat cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is hot, fry the patties in small batches until golden brown on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the cooked croquettes to a dish topped with paper towel and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a real treat. The golden outside reveals a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a bright, somewhat earthy note, while the dairy offers a deep, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using leafy greens, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once cooked, strain in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until tender, about a few minutes. Remove from the stove.

Combine the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Combine well until incorporated. If the preparation appears too wet, incorporate some additional breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the preparation into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate topped with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a level of about half an inch. Cook the patties a handful for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy completely, then put on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only tasty but also a extremely wholesome bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Put the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with enough fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the lentils covered if needed.

Add the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the mixture completely and set aside in a container.

Preheat 50% of the