Nistisima
The secret to delicious Mediterranean vegan food, the Sunday Times bestseller and voted OFM Best Cookbook
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- $26.99
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- $26.99
Publisher Description
WINNER OF THE OBSERVER FOOD MONTHLY BEST NEW COOKBOOK AWARD
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING COOKBOOK
The Daily Mail Best Cookbooks of the Year 2022
The Independent 10 Best Cookbooks of 2022
Delicious Magazine Best cook books of 2022
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No fads, no frills, just 120 vegan recipes that have stood the test of time from award-winning food writer Georgina Hayden, currently appearing on Channel 4's The Great Cookbook Challenge
Nistisima means fasting food – food eaten during Lent and other times of fasting observed by those of Orthodox faith. Mostly this involves giving up meat and dairy and instead using vegetables, pulses and grains to create easy, delicious dishes that all just happen to be vegan.
In this book, Georgina draws on the history and culture around nistisimo cooking in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Eastern Europe to share the simple, nutritious and flavour-packed recipes at the heart of the practice, including:
· Salatet malfouf cabbage slaw
· Briam ('Greek ratatouille')
· Pumpkin, raisin and harissa pie
· Kibbet el raheb, 'monks' soup'
· Jewelled lentil moutzentra
· Rizogalo rose rice pudding with roasted strawberries
· Moustokouloura spiced grape, honey and chocolate biscuits
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or simply want to eat more plant-based food, Nistisima offers you tried and tested recipes that celebrate the very best of this tradition – all bursting with flavour and all surprisingly vegan.
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'Mouthwatering recipes and beautiful storytelling – I want a seat at Georgie's table.' JAMIE OLIVER
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"I am not here to tell you how to pray, how to live your life or even how to eat," writes chef and food journalist Hayden (Taverna) in this exceptional collection of plant-based recipes mainly inspired by her Greek roots. Conceived to adhere to nistisima, the Greek Orthodox church's fasting tradition, the dishes abstain from using any animal products, but feel far from restrictive. Insightful explainers on religious significance head up each recipe, such as a tempting Jordanian upside-down savory cake layered with vermicelli and vegetables that's often enjoyed during Ramadan. Meanwhile, savory pies form a rich subcategory that includes a double-crust pie with spinach and zucchini, and a phyllo spiral brushed with harissa oil. Plenty of recipes also hail from religious figures, including an open-face tart in a pumpkin-bulgur crust from a monk in a monastery outside Beirut, and the fermented drink kvass produced by Russian Orthodox priests. Desserts, though sparse ("no dessert every day" during Lent, the author laments), feature delicious techniques and fascinating stories: an orange–olive oil cake offers an homage to Saint Phanourios, the saint of lost things; Serbian rolls encase apricot jam in a dough that incorporates beer; and edible blossoms are fried in a lacy batter. The result is a stellar collection that will satisfy religious observers and agnostics alike.
