Photo by Kristin Perers
On hearing about a book with recipes devoted to food you eat while fasting, you would be forgiven for finding the concept either befuddling or unappealing, but in this particular instance you would be wrong. The only proper response to Georgina Hayden’s new book, Nistisima, is greedy delight, as far as I’m concerned. Fasting food in Greek and Greek Cypriot tradition (although the recipes here come from beyond those borders, too) refers to the way of eating during Lent and certain other religious festivals, during which time meat, eggs and dairy are off the menu. And yet there is not one recipe in this book that even hints at deprivation. Indeed, it is very much a celebration of flavour, of vegetables, pulses and grains, and a delicious lesson in maximising the pleasures of food. And you certainly don’t need to be a devout member of the Orthodox church, a vegan or a vegetarian to be grateful to have this in your kitchen.
And it’s most certainly not for anxiously abstemious or austere eaters! I’ve earmarked too many recipes to list here, but let me just mention Koulouri (Cypriot Village Bread); Eliopites (Olive, Mint and Coriander Buns); Braised Fennel with Saffron; Batata Harra (Chilli-Dressed Potatoes); Kolokithopita (Pumpkin and Raisin Pie with Harissa); Spanakorizo (Sweet and Smoky Spinach, Tomato and Lemon Rice); Milopita (Apple, Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Cake); Pistachio and Cardamom Halva; and Shiamishi (Fried Orange Blossom Custard Pies). And the recipe I’m hungrily sharing with you today is the Jewelled Moutzentra: an oniony lentil and rice pilaff, resplendent with pomegranate seeds!
Extract taken from Georgina Hayden's Nistisima (Bloomsbury Publishing UK, £26 Hardback).
Photography © Kristin Perers.
