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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy fritters, commonly known as keftedes, represent a beloved speciality in Jewish culinary traditions. These leek croquettes present a tasty fusion of rich ground beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the leeks well and cut away the base and the bulk of the green stalk. Slice into halves lengthways then into half-inch slices. Place in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and spice and flavor liberally with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands then shape a few scoops into a patty, shaping a slightly. Set on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is hot, fry the fritters in small groups until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Transfer the ready patties to a dish topped with kitchen paper and let to cool.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These spinach and cheese fritters are a true delight. The golden crust opens up to a creamy interior. The fresh spinach imparts a fresh, slightly green taste, while the cheese provides a deep, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it well, removing any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Put in a big pot with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and set aside.

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

Preheat the olive oil in a pan over a moderate heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a container and season with salt and pepper. Mix completely until incorporated. If the mixture seems too wet, mix in some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only tasty but also a extremely wholesome appetizer or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Place the brown lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of water. Cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring extra liquid to keep the pulses covered if necessary.

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

Heat 50% of the