Hanukkah is the season to indulge in fried foods, whether it is a donut with chocolate filling, jam filling, or one of each. But after my second, third, and fourth donut I may start feeling a little queasy. I'm not going to count the number of sfenjim, and I hope nobody will question me on this. So what is a girl to do if she wants to eat fried but healthier food? Enter Keftes de Prasa, also known as Fritas.
From Bulgaria to Greece, across the Middle East, all the way to Egypt and beyond, Sephardim have been frying leek patties for Hanukkah. Some recipes even suggest adding ground beef, making it a filling snack. A year-round dish, leek patties are also traditionally eaten on Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.
Originally I pitched this recipe for Rosh Hashanah. On Rosh Hashanah, we recite a special yehi ratzon blessing over leeks. It is a wordplay praying for the elimination of our enemies. Before the tragedy of October 7, the idea of enemies seemed antiquated to me. I never thought it possible that something so gruesome could happen three generations after the holocaust. But here it is. Unfortunately, there are many online who excuse this unnecessary barbarity, spreading the conflict across the globe.
In the time the Hanukkah story takes place, we were also fighting enemies who tried to erase our Jewish identity. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of light over darkness, and light will prevail again. May we enjoy our Hanukkah foods in peace! That's what I'm praying for as I'll eat my second, third, and fourth keftes.
Ingredients
- 1 large leek stalk the whiter the better
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 medium russet potatoes
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch pepper
- 3/4 cups breadcrumbs or matzah meal
- Canola oil for frying
- Lemon wedges for serving optional
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
- Cut off the dryer green parts of the top and the roots on the bottom and throw them away. Then slice the leek in half, lengthwise. Leeks generally have dirt and bugs between the leaves, so clean the pieces really well, one by one, under running water.
- Shake off excess water and gather the leaves together to cut them into small quarter-inch pieces. Then transfer to a pot, and add one cup of water and ½ tablespoon salt. Boil for about 5-7 minutes. The smell of the leek will become milder as they cook.
- Drain the leek in a sieve and set aside.
- Peel, dice, and boil the potatoes in salt water for about 15 minutes or until soft. Then drain the potatoes.
- Combine the potatoes and leek in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can also mix them in a blender or food processor.
- Add egg, pepper and ½ cup breadcrumbs to the leek mixture. The batter should be thick and not stick to the fingers.
- Pour remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs onto a plate. Take golf ball-sized portions of batter and flatten them into patties by hand. Coat them in the crumbs from both sides.
- Pour oil into the pan until it covers about ¼ inch of the surface. Heat until small bubbles form and set to medium heat. Fry patties on both sides for about five minutes, or until brown.
- Remove from oil and let the patties cool down on a paper-towel-covered plate. Once cool, transfer to a serving plate and throw the paper away.
- Enjoy your Kefte De Prasa! Hanukkah sameach!
