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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek croquettes offer a tasty fusion of hearty beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the leeks carefully and trim off the base and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop into halves longways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor well with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your hands then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a plate and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the heated oil is ready, fry the fritters in small batches until golden on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the cooked patties to a plate covered with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a true delight. The crunchy crust gives way to a soft filling. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, somewhat earthy taste, while the cheese offers a savory, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, pureed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

For leafy greens, clean it carefully, removing any stalks, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, carefully press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix completely until blended. If the dough appears too loose, mix in some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a nut but smaller than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, preheat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes each side, turning so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious appetizer or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with ample water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding additional water to maintain the legumes covered if necessary.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the mixture well and set aside in a bowl.

Preheat a portion of the