“Nistisimes Syntages” are the Lenten recipes the Orthodox can eat during fasting periods.   The Orthodox religion has a lot of fasting periods.  The period of the Great Lent starts on Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday) and this period is called Saracosti.   During the period of Saracosti  the faithful fast for a period of 48 days and not 40, as it is falsely believed: the six weeks of Lent and Holy Week.  This is not obligatory and most people fast for a couple of weeks before Easter.  The fasting period of Easter end after the resurrection of Jesus.  

The Christmas fasting period starts on the 15th November and ends on the 24th December.  From the 15th November till the 17th December, fish is allowed to be consumed but not on Wednesdays and Fridays, which in any case all Wednesdays and Fridays of the year are fasting days.

The fasting period before the Assumption of the Virgin, starts on the 1st of August and ends on the 14th of August and of course there are many other days when fasting is part of our religion.

Meat and animal prod­ucts (cheese, milk, butter, eggs, lard), fish (meaning fish with backbones), olive oil and wine (all alcoholic drinks) are not consumed during the weekdays of Great Lent.    Octopus and shell-fish are allowed, as is vegetable margarine, shortening, and vegetable oils, gelatin, olives, as well as honey are allowed.

 

On weekends, olive oil and wine are permitted. Fish is permitted only on two Sundays during the Lenten period: on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and on Palm Sunday (one week before Easter).

The purpose of fasting is to cleanse the body as well as the spirit in preparation for accepting the Resurrection at Easter, which is the most sacred of all observances in the Greek Orthodox faith.

Through fasting, we also learn to feel compassion for the poor and hungry and to save our own resources so that we can help those in need.

During this period I shall try and post mainly Nistisimes Syntages (Lenten recipes).   However,  I do have lots of recipes I have prepared before Lent, which I shall also post.

I apologize if in some of the links you do not find some of my Cypriot recipes.  This means that they have been included in my cookbook and had to be removed.

If you exclude the recipes with seafood, gelatine and honey all other recipes here are vegan:

Nistisimes Syntages (Lenten Recipes)

Seafood:

Htapodi me makaronaki Kofto (Octopus with pasta)

Octopus Salad

Kalamaria Gemista (Stuffed Squid)

Shrimp Risotto

Shrimp Risotto (2)

Stewed Thrapsala (squid) with Mushrooms 

Three recipes with Thrapsala (Short fin squid)

 

Main Dishes:

Aromatic Blackeyed Peas with Wild Greens and Quinoa

Gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers)

Koupepia (Dolmadakia) Gialantzi (stuffed vine leaves with rice and herbs)

Fasolada (White beans in tomato sauce)

Fakes Moutzentra (Cypriot lentils with rice)

Arakas Laderos (Peas with carrots in tomato sauce)

Spanakoryzo (Spinach with rice)

Mpamies Giahni (stewed okra)

Broad Beans, peas and artichokes à la Polita

Fasolia Mavrommatika (Black-eyed peas)

Greekwhite beans salad

Black-eyed peas with spinach and Swiss chard in tomato sauce

Fasolakia Giahni  (Braised Green beans in tomato sauce)

Briam

Patates lemonates (oven baked lemon potatoes)

Patates Antinahtes (whole potatoes with red wine)

Pommes Lyonnaises

Rice pilaf with vegetables and vermicelli

Pilafi pourgouri- (without the meat) Bulgur wheat pilaf

Revithokeftedes me Garides (Shrimp – chickpea patties)

Revithokeftedes (chickpea patties)

Kounoupidi me Patates Kapamas (stew cauliflower with potatoes)

Penne with Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic, Cilantro and Marinara Sauce

Penne Skordalia with Courgettes and Olives

Chickpeas with spinach

Lentils with Carrοts, Orzo and Caramelized Onions

Aromatic Black-eyed Peas with Wild Greens and Quinoa

Lentils and Bulgur Spicy Salad/Pilaf

Veggie burgers

Gigantes Plaki (Baked Giant beans)

Black Giant Beans with Spinach and Pasta

Soups:

Hoummous Soup (chickpeas soup)

Vegetable puree soup with pasta

Fakes (Lentil Soup)

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Greek Fava and Pumpkin Soup

Snacks:

Bourekia with mushrooms

Whole Wheat Focaccia with Kalamata Olives

Elioti (Olives Roulade)

Eliopsomo (Olive Bread)

Herbed Eliopsomο (olive bread) with Pesto

Lagana with Garlicky Olives, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Rosemary

Lagana

Olives and Carrot Bread Sticks and rolls

Eliopita (olive pies)

Kolokotes (Cypriot pumpkin pies)

Tahninopita (Tahini filled pastry)

Tahinopsomo (Tahini Bread)

Ladenia (Greek style pizza)

Dips / appetizers:

Taramosalata (Roe dip)

Melitzanosalata (Eggplant dip)

Houmous (chickpeas dip)

Elies tsakistes (green crushed olives)

Elies Kalamon (kalamata olives)

Pantzaria Xydata (Beets preserved in vinegar)

Spanakopita nistisimi

Black-eyed pea patties

Revithokeftedes (Chickpea Patties)

Mpiftekia Revithion

Koupes me manitaria (kibbeh stuffed with mushrooms)

Snails Stiffado Saganaki (without the feta)

Desserts:

Moustalevria

Moustokouloura (without the cheese)

Chocolate Puddings

Pastelli (Sesame Honey Candy with Peanuts)

Daktyla (almond filled lady fingers)

Halvas with Chocolate, Nuts & Dried Fruit

Creative Pot Halvades

Mini Apple Turnovers with Homemade Apple Sauce

Pot Halvas with fruit and almonds

Pischies (Pastry bathed in syrup)

Kattimerka

Eggless and Dairy Free Chocolate cake

Vegan Chocolate Carrot Cake with Chocolate-Tahini Glazing

Loukoumades (Doughnuts)

Akoumia (Symian Doughnuts)

Shiamishi

Carrot cake with chocolate

Ladlokouloura (Olive oil biscotti)

Fanouropita (olive oil spice cake)

Butternut Squash Mandarin Cake with Butternut Squash – Almond Glaze 

Kalon Prama (Samali)

Almond and Srawberry Halvas

Coconut Mandarin Samali (semolina Cake) 

Strawberries with Chocolate

Bougatsa (vegan)

Roxakia Orange Dough Cookies)

Halvas with Chocolate, Nuts and Dried Fruit 

Tahinopita me Mila (Tahini Bread with Apple Filling)

 

You can find my Greek recipes in my cookbooks «More Than A Greek Salad», and«Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!» both available on all Amazon stores. Read more here.

 

Kalo Pascha!

Kopiaste

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

No ratings yet.