🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite pan-fried fritters, typically called keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the base and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop in half longways then into half-inch slices. Put in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, parsley and paprika and spice liberally with seasoning. Stir completely using your hands then shape a few scoops into a croquette, pressing a little. Place on a platter and continue for the balance of the ingredients.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in batches until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a plate covered with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a true delight. The crispy exterior gives way to a smooth interior. The spinach imparts a bright, somewhat earthy note, while the cheese gives a rich, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, rinse it well, getting rid of any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once wilted, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely press out excess liquid.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with seasoning. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the preparation looks too soft, add some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, shape the preparation into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Seal and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, preheat oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for two to three minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a highly nutritious snack or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Place the brown lentils in a pot and cover with plenty of water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, adding more water to keep the lentils covered if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the