Pah-STEE-tsio Knee-STEE-see-moh) is a vegan pasta casserole dish made with tubular pasta, vegetable filling and topped with a vegan faux béchamel sauce. I forgot to ask her about instructions, so I mixed the liquid ingredients first and then added the remaining ingredients.

Although dolmades are better served when warm, koupepia are best served cold, so they can easily be served as finger food, during a party or a gathering.It’s made me want to focus more on plant based meals, take time over them and celebrate them in the same way.

Octopus and shell-fish are allowed, as is vegetable margarine, shortening, and vegetable oils, gelatin, olives, as well as honey are allowed. Made with a combination of almond meal and flour, orange juice and a bit of brandy, the finished cookies are light and high and just ever so slightly crumbly. Repeat the filling and rolling process with the remaining sheets of filo and filling, adding each length to the pie spiral, so you have a coiled snake effect. This recipe is for the nistisima (or vegan) version of kourambiedes, slightly different but just as authentic as the more well known butter cookie version. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies and can easily be doubled or tripled as your occasion dictates.

This is one of my family’s favourite dishes and it’s one of those few times that I don’t have to prepare a second meal because they all love this one. Lay out a sheet of filo, longest side nearest to you, and brush with oil, then top with another sheet. Serve fresh pitta with small bowls of this and extra virgin olive oil to dip into; use it to finish dips such as hummus or muhammara; or sprinkle it on soups and salads. This one of my go-to nistisimo recipes if I have people round for a meal – you can get it ready in advance, it looks impressive and it tastes amazing.