Enjoy These Tasty Triple Hellenic Croquette Dishes

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy patties, commonly known as keftedes, represent a cherished speciality in Jewish cooking. These particular leek patties deliver a flavorful blend of rich minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the fresh leeks well and remove the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into half-inch pieces. Transfer in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and spice and flavor well with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your hands then mold a few scoops into a patty, pressing a slightly. Place on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat cooking oil in a skillet to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, cook the patties in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper and let to cool.

Present with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These cheesy spinach croquettes are a genuine delight. The crunchy exterior opens up to a smooth filling. The leafy spinach adds a bright, slightly earthy taste, while the cheese gives a rich, savory richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using leafy greens, wash it thoroughly, removing any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a small amount liquid over a medium flame. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, carefully remove extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the onion and minced garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix completely until incorporated. If the dough appears too wet, incorporate some more breading.

By hand, shape the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an chicken egg, and place them on a plate lined with baking paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, preheat oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the patties a handful for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and tender interior, these patties are not only flavorful but also a extremely wholesome appetizer or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the brown lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, including extra liquid to maintain the legumes covered if required.

Add the cracked wheat and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients well and reserve in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the