Savor These Delectable 3 Hellenic Croquette Recipes

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy croquettes, typically called keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters present a tasty fusion of hearty minced beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the leeks carefully and trim off the root ends and most of the green stalk. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Put in a deep pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your hands then shape a several spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, fry the patties in small batches until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished croquettes to a dish topped with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a genuine delight. The golden exterior reveals a creamy interior. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, moderately earthy flavor, while the grated cheese provides a deep, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, thawed for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

For fresh spinach, wash it thoroughly, getting rid of any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and set aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir completely until blended. If the preparation seems too wet, mix in some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, form the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes each side, rotating so they are golden brown all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy bite or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Place the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, including more water to ensure the legumes submerged if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the mixture completely and put aside in a bowl.

Heat a portion of the