Nistisima

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.

'Mouthwatering recipes and beautiful storytelling – I want a seat at Georgie's table.' JAMIE OLIVER

About the Author

Georgina Hayden is a cook, food writer and stylist from north London. 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.

Growing up above her grandparents’ Greek Cypriot taverna, Georgina developed a love of cooking and storytelling through the recipes passed down to her. She started her career as food assistant, working at various food magazines, and then went on to join Jamie Oliver’s food team where she worked for 12 years. There she did everything from styling, developing and writing recipes for books and TV, magazines and campaigns. 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.