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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy croquettes, often known as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, and they are absolutely irresistible.

Produces 12

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

Clean the green leeks well and cut away the base and most of the dark green parts. Cut into halves lengthways then into half-inch pieces. Place in a deep pan and submerge with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Strain the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Combine well using your palms then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a ball, shaping a little. Put on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, cook the patties in small groups until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this drops the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a plate topped with paper towel and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful cheesy spinach patties are a genuine delight. The crunchy crust reveals a creamy interior. The spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat natural flavor, while the grated cheese offers a savory, savory richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using raw spinach, clean it well, removing any stalks, and cut into it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then press out any excess liquid and reserve.

For defrosted spinach, carefully remove extra water.

Preheat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium flame and fry the onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until combined. If the mixture looks too soft, add some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an egg, and set them on a plate covered with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, turning so they are crispy completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome appetizer or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pan and fill with enough water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, adding more water to maintain the legumes immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the mixture well and reserve in a container.

Preheat half of the