Nistisima: The Secret to Delicious Mediterranean Vegan Food from the Mediterranean and Beyond

by Georgina Hayden

Overview

A Food Network Best Vegan Cookbook of 2022 * Observer Food Monthly's Best New Cookbook!

120 vegan recipes from the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Eastern Europe that have stood the test of time, from award-winning food writer Georgina Hayden.

In this beautiful cookbook filled with stories, tips, tricks, and striking four-color photography, Georgina Hayden looks to Greece, Cyprus, and beyond to share delicious, almost entirely natural dishes. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or simply interested in plant-based eating, you will enjoy these flavor-packed foods which draw from the tradition of nistisima, a Greek word that translates to Lenten, or fasting—often used in relation to animal products. Georgian Hayden explores the history and culture of nistisima to introduce home cooks to this new kind of vegan cooking which has been honed over centuries of religious practice. From bread to salads, dips, and pickles, to harvest cooking with seasonal vegetables, to cakes, puddings, and sweets, Nistisima features recipes for smokey red pepper and walnut flatbread; roast tomato, orzo, and rocket salad with roasted garlic dressing; fresh coriander and olive potatoes; broadbean falafel; and more nutritious, simple dishes more centered around Earth's bounty.

A must-have for every plant-focused cookbook shelf, Nistisima is an exciting approach to modern, environmentally equitable vegan cooking influenced by a celebrated tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526630681
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	08/02/2022
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	235,647
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Georgina Hayden is a cook, food writer and stylist. She writes for publications such as The Telegraph, Delicious Magazine and Observer Food Monthly, and in 2021 she won the Fortnum & Mason Best Cookery Writer Award for her work in Waitrose Food magazine. She has appeared on Radio 4's Woman's Hour, and regularly appears on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch and BBC1's Saturday Kitchen. Her first book, Stirring Slowly, was published in 2016, followed by the book about the food of her Cypriot family, Taverna, in 2019. Nistisima is her third book. Georgina documents her recipes and food travels on her Instagram page @georgiepuddingnpie. She lives in London.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

Breaking bread, breaking fast 26

Salads, dips and pickles 62

Harvest - seasonal vegetables 114

Pantry - pulses and grains 168

Cakes, biscuits and puddings 212

Sweet preserves and drinks 260

Essentials and stockists 282

Index 292

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/16/2022

“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. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Award-winning food writer Georgina Hayden has filled this beautiful cookbook with 120 vegan recipes that are peppered with stories and tips and tricks. We plan to take a page from Hayden’s own cooking approach, first stocking the fridge with fresh staples such as salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and a bevy of fresh herbs like mint, coriander, parsley and dill. Then, making a few dishes on Sunday to have a satisfying array of mix-and-match components to nourish ourselves for the week ahead." - Food Network, 10 Best Vegan Cookbooks of 2022

“Exceptional . . . 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. . . . The result is a stellar collection that will satisfy religious observers and agnostics alike.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Part lesson in religion and history, [Nistisima]combines plant-based eats, new twists on Mediterranean foods, and evocative photography. Za'atar buns, makdous (eggplants with walnuts and chili), and charred watermelon and pistachio salad will have kitchen enthusiasts readying their backyards for summer evening spreads, while heartier fare such as legume-based stews (think black-eyed peas, favas, and lentils) will warm bellies on cooler nights.” —Booklist

“Mouthwatering recipes and beautiful storytelling – I want a seat at Georgie's table.” —Jamie Oliver

“This book is the sunny window that everyone needs: open it to flood your kitchen with Mediterranean sun, delicious food and great stories. Georgina takes these ancient traditions and fits them to our modern kitchens with impeccable style and flare; surely lent has never tasted so good.” —Itamar Srulovic, Honey & Co

“There's so much to love and to learn in Georgina's glorious Nistisima. It's really worth fasting to eat like this.” —Claudia Roden

From the Publisher