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Leek Patties

Petite pan-fried patties, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of savory beef with the delicate, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the green leeks carefully and remove the base and the majority of the dark green parts. Chop in half lengthways then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with cold water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and paprika and flavor well with seasoning. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then form a several spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a little. Put on a plate and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm olive oil in a skillet to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, cook the patties in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray lined with kitchen paper and let to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a true treat. The crunchy crust opens up to a soft center. The fresh spinach brings a fresh, slightly earthy flavor, while the dairy provides a savory, flavorful creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using leafy greens, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a small amount hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until incorporated. If the preparation appears too soft, add some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a depth of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a handful for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown everywhere, then put on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a pot and cover with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the legumes covered if required.

Add the cracked wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the