🔗 Share this article Delight in These Delectable Triple Hellenic Croquette Dishes Keftedes me Prassa Small pan-fried patties, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek patties deliver a tasty combination of hearty ground beef with the delicate, sweetly mild essence of fresh leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy. Yields 12 4 leeks 250g ground beef meat 2 fresh eggs 1 tbsp matzo meal 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped 1 tbsp parsley, diced ½ tsp sweet paprika Oil, for pan-frying Lemon wedges, to accompany Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Chop in half longways then into 1.5cm rounds. Put in a deep pan and submerge with water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until softened. Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your fingers then shape a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a bit. Set on a platter and repeat for the balance of the ingredients. Warm cooking oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the croquettes in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the cooked croquettes to a plate topped with kitchen paper and permit to cool. Serve with lemon slices. Spinach Patties These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a real pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat earthy flavor, while the cheese provides a rich, umami creaminess. You can substitute the cheesy element with boiled, crushed potatoes if you like. Makes 16–18 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed overnight in the cooler) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced small 2 garlic pieces, minced 100g salty cheese, grated finely 80g creamy ricotta ½ tsp nutmeg spice ½ tsp paprika 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary 3 large eggs Cooking oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil) Lemon slices, to accompany If using fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and reserve. For previously frozen spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture. Preheat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough appears too loose, incorporate some extra crumbs. With your fingers, mold the mixture into elongated patties somewhat larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and set them on a plate lined with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least 1 hour. In a big skillet over medium heat, warm cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown all over, then put on paper towel. Present with fresh lemon. Kroketes Fakes With their crunchy outside and moist center, these patties are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious snack or main course. Yields 12 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup) 90g cracked wheat (half a cup) 125ml olive oil (half a cup) 1 large onion, chopped small 1 tsp cumin spice 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced 1 tbsp parsley, diced 1 egg Seasoning, to preference Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until nearly done, including more water to keep the lentils immersed if needed. Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until tender. Drain the mixture thoroughly and put aside in a bowl. Heat 50% of the