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Leek Patties

Bite-sized pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a tasty fusion of savory beef with the delicate, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are utterly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Clean the green leeks well and remove the base and most of the dark green parts. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Put in a large skillet and fill with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Strain the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Combine well using your palms then mold a couple of scoops into a croquette, pressing a little. Put on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Transfer the cooked croquettes to a plate topped with absorbent paper and let to cool.

Present with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a real treat. The crispy outside reveals a soft interior. The spinach imparts a bright, slightly green note, while the grated cheese offers a rich, savory smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with boiled, mashed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

When using raw spinach, clean it carefully, getting rid of any tough stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a little water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any excess liquid and put aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully remove extra water.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic cloves until softened, about a few minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the mixture looks too soft, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a plate covered with wax paper. Seal and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Fry the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Add the brown lentils in a pot and fill with enough cold water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including additional water to keep the legumes covered if needed.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the ingredients well and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat a portion of the