Place the leeks into a pot and cover completely with boiling water. Place the pot over medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes until the leeks are very tender and cooked through. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the rest of the liquid from the leeks. Once the leeks are cool enough to handle, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the leeks and then finely chop the leeks. Place the leeks into a mixing bowl. Add the beef, matzo meal or bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, salt and pepper into the bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined well. Take about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form it into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture, about 18 patties should be formed.