Enjoy These Tasty Triple Greek Fried Patty Recipes

Keftedes me Prassa

Small fried fritters, often called keftedes, represent a cherished signature dish in Jewish cooking. These particular leek patties offer a flavorful combination of savory beef with the subtle, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, rendering them utterly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the leeks well and cut away the base and the bulk of the green tops. Chop lengthwise longways then into half-inch pieces. Put in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Stir well using your fingers then form a few scoops into a patty, pressing a little. Place on a tray and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is ready, fry the patties in small batches until golden on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Remove the ready patties to a tray topped with kitchen paper and let to drain.

Present with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach and cheese fritters are a true treat. The crunchy outside reveals a creamy center. The leafy spinach brings a bright, somewhat green taste, while the grated cheese gives a rich, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with boiled, mashed potatoes if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any tough stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a small amount liquid over a moderate heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough appears too loose, add some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, form the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but smaller than an chicken egg, and place them on a plate topped with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden completely, then transfer on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a highly nutritious appetizer or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to keep the pulses submerged if required.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat a portion of the