🔗 Share this article

Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved delicacy in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters present a delicious blend of rich beef with the subtle, mildly sweet taste of tender leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and most of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season well with seasoning. Mix well using your fingers then mold a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a bit. Put on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is hot, brown the fritters in batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished croquettes to a plate covered with absorbent paper and let to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a true delight. The crispy crust gives way to a creamy interior. The fresh spinach brings a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the dairy gives a rich, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

When using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then press out any extra water and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly press out extra water.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Turn off the stove.

Combine the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, spice, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and spice with salt and pepper. Combine completely until combined. If the dough appears too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an large egg, and place them on a plate covered with wax paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat cooking oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden completely, then put on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crunchy outside and moist center, these fritters are not only delicious but also a extremely wholesome bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Put the dry lentils in a pan and fill with ample fresh water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding additional water to keep the lentils immersed if necessary.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a bowl.

Heat half of the