This is one of my favourite recipes that has been passed down from generation to generation, one that reminds me of my grandmother’s home, of love and simplicity. I absolutely adored my grandmother and as a child I spent all my summer holidays with her in her tiny flat in Israel. Fortunately we enjoyed a lot of time together and my wish came true when she met my son, her great grandson, before she passed away at 100 years old.

Since my mother’s side of the family comes from the Middle East I was lucky enough to experience some beautiful delicious and flavorsome whole food dishes. Every dish was made from scratch and absolutely nothing was processed. However, probably my favourite dish she would make was the simplest. Introducing ‘Ktzitzot,’ a Hebrew word referring to little burgers or patties made of ground meat, chicken or lamb. This version is with chicken. It’s inexpensive, simple, tasty and a great healthy meal or snack. When I was younger I couldn’t pronounce the word for these heavenly discs of goodness but came close. They are known still to this day as ‘sick socks’!

As a child I used to eat these tucked into pita pockets, grated salad, with lashings of hummus and tahini. However since going off gluten I just wrap these beauties in a large salad leaf with the same extras and it’s just as delicious. I am literally transported back to my childhood when I make a batch of these for my son, who loves them it appears just as much.

These last in the fridge a few days but I recommend freezing them ASAP, otherwise every time you or a family member passes the fridge they are irresistible to ignore and disappear in a flash. These are fabulous to take on a picnic, school lunch boxes or enjoy as a delicious spread at the garden table with salads, olives, boiled eggs and dips on a beautiful summers day.

Tips for this dish:

• It’s important to use a ton of parsley. When I say two bunches, I mean just that, not handfuls. I buy two bunches of parsley from the store and use the whole lot. In fact the mixture will look more green than anything.
• For the egg add 6 in straight away and combine well. If you feel the mixture needs to be a bit more liquid add an extra egg or two. It’s always easier to add than takeaway. This goes for the seasoning as well.

When you shallow fry these in batches, try one and see if the flavors need adjusting. Trust me you will love doing this important ‘quality control’ measurement.

From my family’s kitchen to yours, enjoy. In memory of my beautiful Nanny Flora.