🔗 Share this article Delight in These Tasty Three Hellenic Croquette Dishes Keftedes me Prassa Bite-sized fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties deliver a tasty blend of hearty ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy. Produces 12 4 fresh leeks 250g ground beef 2 eggs 1 tbsp breadcrumbs 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced ½ tsp mild paprika Oil, for pan-frying Lemon slices, to accompany Wash the leeks well and remove the base and most of the green tops. Cut into halves along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Transfer in a large skillet and cover with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until softened. Strain the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your fingers then mold a several tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a bit. Place on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the preparation. Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, cook the fritters in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Transfer the ready patties to a dish topped with absorbent paper and let to cool. Offer with lemon wedges. Spinach Patties These delightful spinach with cheese fritters are a real treat. The crispy crust reveals a creamy center. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat earthy flavor, while the grated cheese gives a deep, savory richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you like. Makes 16–18 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, softened overnight in the refrigerator) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced small 2 garlic cloves, minced 100g salty cheese, shredded 80g ricotta ½ tsp nutmeg spice ½ tsp paprika 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if needed 3 fresh eggs Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil) Fresh lemon, to garnish For fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any tough stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a little hot water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then press out any excess liquid and reserve. If using thawed frozen spinach, completely remove excess liquid. Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about 4 minutes. Turn off the flame. Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the preparation looks too wet, mix in some additional breading. With your fingers, shape the dough into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and set them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. In a big skillet over medium flame, preheat oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so they are crispy all over, then place on paper towel. Serve with lemon slices. Lentil Croquettes Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely nutritious bite or dish. Produces 12 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup) 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup) 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup) 1 onion, finely diced 1 tsp cumin spice 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced 1 fresh egg Pepper and salt, to liking Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to serve Add the brown lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding more water to keep the lentils covered if required. Add the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Strain the ingredients completely and reserve in a bowl. Preheat half of the