Savor These 3 Greek Keftedes Creations

Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often known as keftedes, are a cherished signature dish in Jewish cooking. These leek fritters offer a tasty combination of rich minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild taste of fresh leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Wash the green leeks carefully and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with fresh water, then simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and spice and flavor generously with seasoning. Mix completely using your fingers then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Place on a platter and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, cook the fritters in batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a plate lined with paper towel and let to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine delight. The crispy crust reveals a creamy center. The leafy spinach imparts a bright, moderately earthy taste, while the dairy gives a deep, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, mashed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using raw spinach, wash it well, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and set aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until combined. If the preparation appears too wet, add some more breading.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a tray topped with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat oil to a depth of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes on both sides, turning so they are golden everywhere, then transfer on paper towel.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious appetizer or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample fresh water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including more water to keep the pulses covered if needed.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients well and reserve in a bowl.

Warm a portion of the