Leek Patties
A common dish in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, this recipe for leek patties (keftes de prasa) is my mother’s. While it is often made with meat, this is a vegetarian version. We typically eat these fried patties at Rosh Hashanah, and the entire plate disappears in minutes!
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 20 patties ServingsServings
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) leeks, trimmed and cleaned
- 1 egg
- Salt
- 3 Tbs. breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
Preparation
- Put cleaned leeks in a pot of water over medium-low heat, cover and cook until soft (they should be tender when poked with a spoon).
- Drain the leeks and allow to cool. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible.
- Put the leeks in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Mix in the egg, salt and breadcrumbs. The mixture should be quite soft but just firm enough to form into patties.
- Put about 1 cm oil in a pen over medium heat.
- Form the leek mixture into small patties and carefully drop in the oil. Fry until evenly browned and crispy on both sides.
- Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.
Variation:
Leek patties are also very popular during Passover. To make them kosher for Passover, simply swap the breadcrumbs for matzo meal.
TIP: To clean leeks, cut in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly, then soak in a solution of water and a little distilled vinegar. The vinegar will draw the dirt out of the leeks.