Enjoy These Tasty 3 Mediterranean Croquette Recipes

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried fritters, typically known as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek patties present a delicious fusion of savory ground beef with the subtle, mildly sweet essence of leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the leeks well and remove the base and the bulk of the dark green parts. Cut in half longways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a large skillet and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your hands then shape a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a bit. Place on a plate and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Warm oil in a skillet to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the heated oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a plate covered with absorbent paper and let to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These cheesy spinach fritters are a real pleasure. The golden crust gives way to a soft center. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, slightly natural taste, while the dairy gives a savory, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed spuds if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

If using leafy greens, clean it well, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then press out any remaining moisture and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Stir well until blended. If the mixture looks too loose, add some additional breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the patties a handful for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a golden crust and moist center, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, pouring additional water to maintain the pulses covered if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Drain the ingredients completely and reserve in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the