🔗 Share this article Delight in These Delectable Triple Hellenic Croquette Dishes Leek Patties Small fried fritters, typically called keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters offer a tasty blend of rich beef with the subtle, sweetly mild flavour of fresh leeks, and they are truly irresistible. Yields 12 4 leeks 250g minced beef meat 2 fresh eggs 1 tbsp breadcrumbs 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced ½ tsp mild paprika Olive oil, for frying Lemon wedges, to garnish Wash the green leeks carefully and trim off the base and the bulk of the green tops. Slice lengthwise longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Combine well using your hands then shape a couple of scoops into a ball, shaping a slightly. Put on a platter and continue for the rest of the preparation. Heat olive oil in a pan to a depth of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the croquettes in batches until crispy on both sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray lined with absorbent paper and allow to rest. Offer with fresh lemon. Spinach Patties These amazing cheesy spinach patties are a genuine delight. The crunchy crust opens up to a creamy interior. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, slightly green note, while the cheese gives a deep, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potatoes if you wish. Produces 16–18 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the cooler) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, minced 2 garlic pieces, minced 100g kefalotyri, grated 80g creamy ricotta ½ tsp nutmeg spice ½ tsp paprika 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if needed 3 fresh eggs Olive oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil) Lemon slices, to accompany If using raw spinach, wash it well, discarding any hard stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Transfer in a big pot with a small amount hot water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any excess liquid and put aside. When working with defrosted spinach, carefully remove unwanted moisture. Preheat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the flame. Combine the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the dough looks too loose, add some extra crumbs. By hand, shape the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour. In a wide pan over moderate heat, warm cooking oil to a depth of about 1cm. Brown the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy completely, then put on kitchen roll. Present with lemon slices. Kroketes Fakes With their golden crust and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely wholesome bite or main course. Yields 12 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup) 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup) 125ml oil (half a cup) 1 yellow onion, chopped small 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced 1 tbsp parsley, minced 1 egg Seasoning, to liking Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish Add the brown lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, adding extra liquid to maintain the legumes covered if needed. Add the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the mixture completely and put aside in a bowl. Preheat a portion of the