Enjoy These 3 Mediterranean Croquette Dishes

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These particular leek patties present a flavorful blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are utterly irresistible.

Yields 12

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

Clean the fresh leeks properly and cut away the roots and most of the dark green parts. Chop into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a deep pan and cover with fresh water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice well with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your fingers then shape a several scoops into a patty, shaping a bit. Place on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, brown the fritters in batches until crispy on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Remove the ready patties to a dish covered with paper towel and permit to rest.

Present with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a true treat. The crunchy crust gives way to a soft interior. The spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat natural taste, while the dairy gives a deep, flavorful smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, mashed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

If using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, remove in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any excess liquid and set aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely press out extra water.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the preparation looks too soft, incorporate some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, form the preparation into elongated patties somewhat larger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with baking paper. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, preheat oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Cook the patties a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy appetizer or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough cold water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding additional water to ensure the legumes submerged if required.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Preheat 50% of the