Delight in These Tasty Three Greek Croquette Dishes

Leek Patties

Petite fried fritters, commonly known as keftedes, represent a cherished delicacy in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a tasty fusion of savory minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of fresh leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and most of the green tops. Chop into halves longways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a large skillet and fill with fresh water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season well with seasoning. Stir completely using your fingers then shape a several scoops into a ball, flattening a slightly. Put on a platter and repeat for the balance of the ingredients.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, fry the fritters in batches until crispy on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Remove the ready croquettes to a dish covered with absorbent paper and allow to drain.

Present with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy outside gives way to a smooth filling. The spinach adds a bright, slightly natural taste, while the grated cheese provides a deep, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, mashed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount water over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any excess liquid and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat.

Place the cooked spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. If the mixture appears too loose, add some extra crumbs.

By hand, shape the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Seal and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a handful for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy completely, then put on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a highly nutritious appetizer or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with plenty of water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, pouring additional water to keep the legumes covered if required.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until softened. Drain the mixture completely and set aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the