🔗 Share this article Enjoy These Three Greek Keftedes Recipes Keftedes me Prassa Bite-sized fried croquettes, commonly known as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a flavorful blend of hearty ground beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy. Yields 12 4 leeks 250g minced beef 2 eggs 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced ½ tsp sweet paprika Olive oil, for pan-frying Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks well and cut away the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Slice in half longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender. Remove the water from the leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands then shape a few scoops into a croquette, pressing a slightly. Place on a tray and repeat for the rest of the preparation. Warm olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is ready, fry the patties in small batches until golden brown on both sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Transfer the finished patties to a tray lined with kitchen paper and allow to rest. Present with fresh lemon. Keftes de Espinacha These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a genuine pleasure. The crispy outside gives way to a creamy filling. The spinach brings a vibrant, slightly natural taste, while the dairy gives a rich, umami creaminess. You can substitute the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you prefer. Yields 16–18 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge) 3 tbsp oil 1 large onion, diced small 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 100g kefalotyri, grated finely 80g ricotta ½ tsp fresh nutmeg ½ tsp paprika 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary 3 eggs Cooking oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil) Fresh lemon, to garnish If using raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, getting rid of any tough stems, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and reserve. When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely remove excess liquid. Heat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Place the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and spice with seasoning. Combine completely until incorporated. If the preparation looks too loose, add some additional crumbs. Using your hands, form the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a plate topped with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes each side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on paper towel. Present with lemon slices. Lentil Croquettes Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these fritters are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious snack or main course. Produces 12 45g brown lentils (¼ cup) 90g cracked wheat (½ cup) 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup) 1 yellow onion, finely diced 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced 1 large egg Pepper and salt, to taste Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish Add the dry lentils in a pan and cover with enough cold water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to keep the pulses covered if necessary. Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the mixture thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl. Heat 50% of the