Enjoy These Tasty Triple Mediterranean Fried Patty Recipes

Leek Patties

Petite pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Jewish cuisine. These leek croquettes offer a delicious blend of rich beef with the delicate, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, making them utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks properly and trim off the base and most of the green tops. Slice in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with water, then cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the cooked leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and spice well with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your hands then form a several spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a little. Place on a platter and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm oil in a pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray lined with kitchen paper and allow to rest.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a genuine treat. The crispy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The spinach brings a fresh, slightly green flavor, while the cheese offers a savory, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using leafy greens, clean it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

When working with previously frozen spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Preheat the olive oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until tender, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, spice, paprika, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Stir thoroughly until combined. If the mixture looks too soft, mix in some more breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the mixture into oval shapes slightly larger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and put them on a tray lined with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, preheat olive oil to a depth of about half an inch. Brown the patties a small batch for 2–3 minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crispy exterior and moist center, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Put the dry lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of cold water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding additional water to keep the lentils covered if needed.

Add the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the