Enjoy These Tasty Three Greek Fried Patty Dishes

Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried patties, often referred to as keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Jewish cuisine. These leek patties present a flavorful fusion of rich minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the fresh leeks well and trim off the roots and the bulk of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly using your palms then form a several spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a bit. Place on a platter and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, cook the fritters in small batches until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready patties to a dish topped with paper towel and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a genuine pleasure. The crispy exterior gives way to a smooth center. The spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat earthy taste, while the cheese gives a deep, savory smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, discarding any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, grated nutmeg, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Combine well until combined. If the mixture looks too loose, mix in some more crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into oval shapes slightly larger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are golden all over, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious appetizer or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to maintain the lentils covered if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the ingredients well and reserve in a bowl.

Heat a portion of the