The Hungry Meeple

Tag: Messina

  • Keto Cassata Cake:  Dessert inspired by Messina 1347 Board Game

    Keto Cassata Cake:  Dessert inspired by Messina 1347 Board Game

    by Zaida Marrero

    Welcome to our culinary adventure, where we blend the enchanting world of board games with the delectable delights of a keto-friendly lifestyle. Today, we present a mouthwatering creation that will tantalize your taste buds and cater to the dietary needs of you or your keto-loving friends: Keto Cassata Cake, inspired by Messina 1347 (by Vladimir Suchy and Fernandez Aparicio, RIO Grande Games) .

    Eating a specific diet doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor, creativity, or the joy of indulging in a delightful dessert. With a touch of inspiration, we have carefully designed this recipe, keeping in mind the dietary restrictions and preferences of our keto-loving friend, who also happens to be an avid board game enthusiast.

    As we delved into the art of baking, we drew inspiration from the rich culinary history of Sicily. The origins of the Cassata cake can be traced back to this beautiful Mediterranean island, where it has been a beloved sweet treat for centuries. During the Arabs’ influence on the island, the Arabs introduced vibrant and exotic ingredients such as citrus fruits, almonds, and sweet ricotta cheese, which became essential components in Sicilian desserts.

    The classic Cassata cake is a layered masterpiece, typically made with sponge cake soaked in liqueur, filled with a sweet ricotta and candied fruit filling, and covered with a smooth layer of marzipan. The cake is then intricately decorated with vibrant colors and ornate designs, reflecting the artistic traditions of Sicilian craftsmanship.

    We have carefully crafted a recipe that captures the essence of the traditional Cassata, using keto cakes, cheese, orange zest, nuts and sugar free chocolate. We hope to create a guilt-free indulgence for our keto-loving friend.

    So, Get ready to savor each moment of this delicious adventure as we present to you our delightful Keto Cassata Cake.

    Ingredients:

    Keto cake:

    • 2 cups almond flour
    • 1/2 cup granulated erythritol 
    • 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream * optional
    • 2 tsp Baking powder
    • 4 eggs
    • 4 oz or 1/2 bar cream cheese
    • 1 tsp Almond extract optional
    • 2 tsp Vanilla
    • 1/2 bar butter
    • Orange zest
    • 1/4 tsp salt

    Ricotta filling:

    • 6 ounces (3⁄4 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
    • 6 ounces (3⁄4 cup) mascarpone cheese
    • ¼ cup erythritol confectioners’ sugar or more to taste
    • ¼ cup chopped unsweetened chocolate chips
    • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon orange zest 
    • 1⁄8 teaspoon table salt
    • ¼ cup shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped fine

    Instructions:

    For the cake:

    • Beat cream cheese butter and sugar
    • Add eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest
    • Mix dry ingredeintas  and add them to the wet ingredients. Let rest.
    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
    • Divide batter in cup cake mold, don’t overfill
    • Bake at 350°F (160°C) for 20 minutes rotating midway, until toothpick inserted in the middle is clean.

    For the filling: 

    • Stir ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and zest in a large bowl until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; stir to recombine before serving) .Fill the cupcakes and sprinkle with chocolate chips and pistachios before serving. 

    Game Night  Tips

    Conclusion

    It is very gratifying sharing drinks and  food with friends and family and playing a game afterwards makes the experience even better. Give this recipe a try and share your experience and your inspirations too.

  • Ragu Bianco: Food inspired by Messina 1347 Board Game

    Ragu Bianco: Food inspired by Messina 1347 Board Game

    adapted by Zaida Marrero from ATK

    Get ready to embark on a culinary journey to Messina, Sicily and take a step back in time to the year 1347. In this blog post, we invite you to indulge in a mouthwatering meal inspired by the board game Messina 1347 (by Vladimir Suchy and Fernandez Aparicio, RIO Grande Games). 

    At a time where the New World was still “undiscovered”, crops like tomatoes and potatoes were hidden from the Italian Cuisine. We provide you a pasta dish meant for nobility and adapted by the gentry, the first ragu: Ragu Bianco. This pasta dish doesn’t use tomatoes and is made by braising a chunk of meat in aromatics found at the time, adding cheese and stirring pasta in the sauce. The resulting dish is an easy to make but luxurious pasta dish that you will want to make every time  you have guests over. Your guests will be impressed and more than ready to know more about the board game Messina 1347. 

    Ingredients:

    • 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, 
    • 1 onion, chopped fine
    • 1 fennel bulb chopped fine, stalks discarded, *or 2 celery stalks 
    • 2 tablespoons fennel fronds chopped, *or celery leaves chopped fine
    • 1 carrot chopped fine
    • 4 medium garlic cloves,
    • 1 teaspoons salt,
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ tsp of dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • 1⁄3 cup heavy cream
    • 1 (1 1⁄2-pound) boneless pork butt roast, It’s important to remove extra fat or the dish will be very fatty, another meats can be used too
    • 1 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 1⁄4 cup juice (2 lemons)
    • 12 ounces pappardelle  or fettuccine 
    • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving 

    Instructions:

    1.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pancetta in Dutch  (or oven safe, deep pot) oven over medium  heat, stirring occasionally, until fond forms on bottom of pot. Add onion, fennel bulb (*or celery) and carrot  and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and start to brown. Stir in minced garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    2. Stir in cream and 2 cups water, scraping up any browned bits. Add pork and bring to boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until pork is tender, about 11⁄2 hours.
    3.  Transfer pork to large plate and let cool for 15 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice.
    4. While pork cools, cook pasta to your taste. Using 2 forks, shred pork into bite-size pieces. Return pork and any juices to Dutch oven. Cover and keep warm.
    5. When pasta is done, drain it  and add it to Dutch oven. Add Cheese  and a little bit of warm water if necessary, and stir until sauce is slightly thickened and cheese is fully melted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fennel fronds (*or celery leaves). Serve immediately, passing extra cheese separately. 
    6. Enjoy!

    Game Night  Tips

    Conclusion

    It is very gratifying sharing drinks and  food with friends and family, and playing a game afterwards makes the experience even better. Give this recipe a try and share your experience and your inspirations too.

  • Olive and Orange Salad

    Olive and Orange Salad

    adapted by Zaida Marrero from ATK and on Podcast Episode #3

    For our Messina1347 board game dinner party I wanted to serve a salad with a mediterranean feel and without using tomatoes, since tomatoes where not present in Europe in the year 1347. I found a recipe for Escarole and Orange Salad with Green Olive Vinaigrette on America’s Test Kitchen that was perfect. I have to admit I was hesitant at first of having olives and oranges together but I’m glad I gave this combination a try. The result was a surprisingly sweet and tangy salad with a pleasant flavor that my mouth truly loved. I provided some suggestions to adapt this recipe in case you can’t find some of the ingredients.

    You will need:

    • ½ cup slivered almonds
    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup chopped pitted green olives
    • 3 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup) or 1/8 cup of red onion
    • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • Salt and ground black pepper
    • 1 large head escarole, washed, dried and stemmed (about 9 cups lightly packed) or substitute with arugula, spinach or mix salads
    • 2 large oranges, segmented and without membrane

    Instructions:

    1. Toast almonds in and oven at 350 degrees for 4-6 mins flip and bake for 2-4 more mins checking constantly to prevent burning. Remove from pan an let them cool.
    2. Whisk vinegar, olives, shallots, garlic, and orange zest in large bowl.
    3. Whisk in oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
    4. Add greens and toss to coat.
    5. Divide greens among individual plates, arrange orange segments on each individual plate and sprinkle with almonds. Serve.

    Game Night  Tips

    Conclusion

    It is very gratifying sharing drinks and  food with friends and family and playing a game afterwards makes the experience even better. Give this recipe a try and share your experience and your inspirations too.

  • Podcast Episode #3: Messina 1347

    Podcast Episode #3: Messina 1347

    For today’s episode we’re traveling back in time to Messina 1347, a worker movement euro with the theme of Messina during the black plague outbreak of 1347. On the menu we have an Orange & Olive Salad, with a keto focaccia bread followed by a Ragú Bianco and Zaida’s take on keto Cassata Cake! So take a sit, grab your fork and get ready to play Messina 1347.