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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a cherished signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of rich minced beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, making them truly irresistible.

Makes 12

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

Clean the green leeks properly and cut away the base and most of the dark green parts. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Put in a deep pan and fill with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Drain the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a several scoops into a croquette, flattening a little. Place on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the patties in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked patties to a tray lined with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Present with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine delight. The golden crust gives way to a smooth center. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly green taste, while the dairy provides a rich, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a little water over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside.

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

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the wilted spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until blended. If the mixture looks too soft, incorporate some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a plate topped with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a handful for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on paper towel.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully healthy bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the brown lentils in a pan and cover with enough water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, adding additional water to keep the pulses immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Strain the ingredients well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Warm 50% of the