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Leek Patties

Petite pan-fried fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek fritters present a tasty combination of hearty ground beef with the subtle, slightly sweet taste of tender leeks, making them utterly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Thoroughly wash the green leeks properly and trim off the roots and most of the green tops. Slice lengthwise longways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Stir completely using your hands then form a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a bit. Place on a plate and repeat for the rest of the ingredients.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a level of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the oil is ready, cook the fritters in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a dish covered with kitchen paper and permit to drain.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a real pleasure. The crunchy exterior opens up to a smooth filling. The fresh spinach brings a vibrant, slightly natural flavor, while the dairy gives a deep, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheese with boiled, pureed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

When using leafy greens, rinse it carefully, discarding any tough stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a deep pan with a little water over a moderate heat. Once softened, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

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

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir well until combined. If the mixture looks too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

Using your hands, shape the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but smaller than an egg, and put them on a plate covered with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, warm olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Fry the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Add the lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample cold water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding more water to maintain the lentils submerged if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture completely and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the