Enjoy These Three Hellenic Croquette Recipes

Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek patties present a tasty blend of savory beef with the delicate, sweetly mild taste of fresh leeks, rendering them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the green leeks carefully and remove the base and the majority of the green tops. Chop in half longways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Place in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the softened leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and spice and spice generously with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your palms then form a couple of spoonfuls into a patty, flattening a little. Put on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is sizzling, cook the patties in small batches until golden on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a dish topped with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a genuine delight. The crispy crust opens up to a smooth center. The leafy spinach adds a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the grated cheese provides a savory, flavorful richness. You can substitute the cheese with cooked, mashed potato if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using leafy greens, wash it carefully, removing any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once wilted, drain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and reserve.

For defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with seasoning. Mix completely until blended. If the mixture seems too soft, incorporate some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm cooking oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the patties a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden everywhere, then place on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, pouring extra liquid to maintain the pulses covered if required.

Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Warm 50% of the