🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried patties, often referred to as keftedes, are a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek patties offer a delicious combination of hearty minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, making them absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the green leeks carefully and cut away the roots and most of the dark green parts. Chop in half longways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Strain the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice well with seasoning. Stir completely using your hands then form a several spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a bit. Put on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, brown the fritters in small batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a tray covered with absorbent paper and let to drain.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a soft filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, moderately green taste, while the cheese provides a rich, flavorful creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with boiled, crushed potatoes if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and set aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until tender, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, spice, paprika, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and season with seasoning. Combine completely until combined. If the preparation seems too loose, mix in some extra crumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into elongated patties somewhat larger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and put them on a plate topped with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden everywhere, then put on paper towel.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Put the lentils in a pan and cover with enough water. Cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the lentils covered if needed.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Preheat half of the