Delight in These Tasty Triple Hellenic Croquette Dishes

Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, stand as a cherished delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek patties offer a tasty blend of rich ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the leeks carefully and remove the root ends and most of the dark green parts. Slice in half longways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Transfer in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season liberally with seasoning. Stir well using your fingers then form a few tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a little. Place on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, brown the patties in batches until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the finished patties to a plate covered with kitchen paper and let to rest.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The golden outside opens up to a soft center. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, somewhat natural note, while the grated cheese provides a deep, flavorful richness. You can substitute the cheese with steamed, pureed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, clean it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once cooked, strain in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, carefully squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Stir completely until blended. If the preparation looks too loose, incorporate some extra breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and place them on a tray lined with baking paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a handful for 2–3 minutes per side, turning so they are golden completely, then put on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these fritters are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the lentils in a pot and fill with enough water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including additional water to maintain the lentils covered if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Warm a portion of the