Name: Sephardi Leek Patties
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Sephardi
Ingredients: 6-8 leeks (about 2 lb); 1 large or 2 small russet potatoes (about 3/4 lb); 1 egg, beaten; 3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 3 tsp dried; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional); 4-6 Tbsp bread crumbs or matzah meal (can be gluten free); vegetable oil, for frying — I prefer avocado but any neutral oil works; lemon wedges, for serving

Ingredients

Scale

6–8 leeks (about 2 lb)
1 large or 2 small russet potatoes (about ¾ lb)
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 3 tsp dried
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled feta (optional)
4–6 Tbsp bread crumbs or matzah meal (can be gluten free)
vegetable oil, for frying — I prefer avocado but any neutral oil works
lemon wedges, for serving

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Instructions

Prepare the leeks: Cut off the root end and dark green top (save them for stock), and split the remaining white and light-green part down the middle, removing the tough outer layers. Slice the leeks into ½-inch-wide pieces. Place into a colander and rinse under cold running water, then set the colander into a large bowl filled with cool water. Use your hands to swish the leeks around in the water. Let the water settle a minute, then lift out the leeks. Empty the water, rinse the bowl, and repeat, washing the leeks until there is no dirt falling to the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Peel the potato and cut into 1-inch pieces. Steam the leeks and potato in a metal colander or steamer basket for about 15 minutes, until they are soft.
In a large bowl, mash the potato and leeks with a fork until there are almost no lumps of potato. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes then add the eggs, dill, salt, pepper and feta, if using. Add enough bread crumbs or matzah meal to hold the mixture together.
Add a thin layer of oil to a large frying pan and heat on medium until shimmering. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil and flatten gently with a spatula until they’re around 3 inches wide and about ¼ inch thick. Fry until browned, then very gently flip to cook the other side. Press down lightly after flipping to make sure each patty is flat to the pan. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Repeat with remaining mixture, adding more oil as needed.
Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Notes

The cooked patties can be frozen after cooling completely. To reheat frozen patties, allow them to defrost enough that they can lay flat on a baking sheet, then warm in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Author: Susan Barocas
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Holiday
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Sephardi