🔗 Share this article Savor These Tasty 3 Hellenic Fried Patty Recipes Keftedes me Prassa Small pan-fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a delicious fusion of rich ground beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of leeks, making them utterly irresistible. Yields 12 4 large leeks 250g ground beef meat 2 eggs 1 tbsp matzo meal 1 tbsp dill, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped ½ tsp sweet paprika Olive oil, for cooking Lemon wedges, to serve Thoroughly wash the green leeks carefully and remove the base and most of the green tops. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until cooked through. Strain the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, parsley and paprika and flavor liberally with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Put on a platter and continue for the remaining of the ingredients. Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, fry the patties in small batches until golden on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready patties to a tray covered with paper towel and allow to cool. Present with fresh lemon. Spinach Croquettes These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The golden outside reveals a smooth interior. The leafy spinach imparts a bright, somewhat natural flavor, while the dairy offers a savory, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with steamed, pureed spuds if you like. Makes 16–18 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator) 3 tbsp extra virgin oil 1 large onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 100g kefalotyri, grated 80g soft cheese ½ tsp grated nutmeg ½ tsp sweet paprika 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary 3 fresh eggs Olive oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil) Lemon slices, to garnish When using raw spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any stalks, and cut into it into sizable portions. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any extra water and set aside. For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid. Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Combine well until combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add some more breading. With your fingers, form the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an large egg, and set them on a tray topped with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour. In a big skillet over medium flame, heat olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Fry the patties a handful for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll. Serve with lemon slices. Lentil Patties Featuring a golden crust and moist center, these fritters are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy snack or dish. Produces 12 45g dry lentils (¼ cup) 90g burghul (½ cup) 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup) 1 large onion, minced 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced 1 fresh egg Seasoning, to liking Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany Put the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with enough water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding extra liquid to ensure the legumes covered if needed. Add the burghul and proceed cooking until softened. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a container. Preheat 50% of the