Delight in These 3 Greek Croquette Creations

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These leek fritters offer a delicious combination of rich beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, rendering them utterly addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks well and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Drain the cooked leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your hands then mold a couple of tablespoonfuls into a patty, flattening a bit. Put on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, brown the croquettes in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a tray topped with absorbent paper and let to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a real pleasure. The golden outside reveals a creamy center. The leafy spinach adds a vibrant, somewhat earthy note, while the cheese offers a deep, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheesy element with boiled, pureed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g salty cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

If using raw spinach, wash it carefully, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any remaining moisture and set aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and saute the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and season with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the dough looks too loose, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, form the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate topped with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over moderate heat, warm cooking oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the patties a few at a time for 2–3 minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden brown all over, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crispy exterior and tender interior, these fritters are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the brown lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample fresh water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring extra liquid to maintain the legumes submerged if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Heat half of the