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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, typically known as keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a delicious blend of savory minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of tender leeks, rendering them utterly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the fresh leeks properly and trim off the roots and the majority of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Put in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and spice and flavor liberally with salt and pepper. Stir completely using your fingers then shape a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, shaping a little. Set on a plate and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the fritters in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a tray topped with paper towel and allow to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These spinach with cheese fritters are a real treat. The crispy outside opens up to a soft filling. The spinach imparts a vibrant, slightly natural taste, while the dairy provides a deep, umami smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with cooked, mashed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, clean it carefully, getting rid of any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then press out any extra water and put aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

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

Place the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Stir well until incorporated. If the mixture appears too loose, incorporate some extra breadcrumbs.

By hand, shape the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate covered with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat cooking oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the patties a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, flipping so they are crispy all over, then transfer on paper towel.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy bite or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the lentils in a pan and fill with ample water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring additional water to ensure the legumes submerged if necessary.

Stir in the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the mixture thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat half of the