Enjoy These Tasty Triple Mediterranean Croquette Recipes

Leek Patties

Small pan-fried fritters, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a cherished delicacy in Jewish cooking. These leek patties offer a tasty combination of savory beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of fresh leeks, and they are truly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the green leeks carefully and trim off the base and the bulk of the green tops. Slice in half longways then into half-inch rounds. Put in a deep pan and submerge with water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your hands then shape a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, shaping a bit. Set on a tray and repeat for the balance of the preparation.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the fritters in batches until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Remove the cooked patties to a tray covered with kitchen paper and allow to rest.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine delight. The golden exterior gives way to a soft interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly natural taste, while the dairy gives a rich, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

If using raw spinach, wash it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a little water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, completely press out excess liquid.

Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the preparation seems too wet, incorporate some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and set them on a tray topped with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a few at a time for 2–3 minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy all over, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious appetizer or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the lentils in a pan and submerge with enough water. Boil over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, including additional water to keep the lentils immersed if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Preheat half of the