Matrix Games

The Geek Recipe is back. The mouth-watering cooking show by gamers and for gamers has returned for a Season 2, watchable on Slitherine’s Youtube channel. This time David Mullich, the creative brain behind Heroes of Might and Magic III, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, and the 1995 video game adaption of I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, receives an introduction to the sensory delights that fill the Italian kitchen of Slitherine’s very own cook (and Chief Marketing Officer) Marco Minoli. 

A prime vegetarian dish graces the Geek Recipe’s menu for this Season 2 bake-off: Parmigiana di Melanzana, a sliced, fried, baked eggplant recipe with delicious layers of cheese and tomato sauce. 

Getting peckish? Be sure to watch the third The Geek Recipe episode on YouTube now! 

David Mullich has been instrumental in getting one of the greatest games still played to this day to see the light: Heroes of Might and Magic III. “It is genuinely bizarre,” says the American designer. “I’m astounded by the size and fan community of Heroes III. I even got on a cab ride in Poland, and the driver told me he played the game. In the United States, it wasn’t as big a part of many a gamer’s childhood as it was in Eastern Europe, for instance.” 

Currently working as a professor in game design in California, in The Geek Recipe episode, Mullich talked about his long and extensive history as a game designer and producer, such as his first title in 1979. “I got all excited about doing interactive fiction, where the player was the author of the story they engaged in. I started typing my own Star Trek game.” He later created a series of the earliest adventure and role-playing games. 

The 1990s saw Mullich's greatest successes, from the point-and-click horror adaption of the renowned I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream to the universally acclaimed Heroes of Might and Magic III and follow-up IV. “One of the great joys of working in game design is that you work with many different talents. I learned that all your team members have to buy into the vision. Never worked in a team that got along so well as the one on Heroes III. That’s why the game turned out the way it did.”  

The Geek Recipe reaffirms that the way to a gamer’s heart is through the stomach, regardless of background or skill level. Each new episode invites a renowned game developer, writer, creator, or director to Slitherine’s kitchen, where the celebrity guests share the secret ingredients of not only what makes great food but also great entertainment.

Last but not least, below you will find our recipe for the Parmigiana di Melanzana: try it at home and let us have the pictures of your geek recipe!

Parmigiana di Melanzana (Eggplant parmigiana)

Ingredients (4 servings):

• Eggplants 1 kg
• Tomato sauce 1lt
• Fior di latte mozzarella cheese 500 g 
• Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese 150 g 
• Onions 1 
• Basil to taste 
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste 
• Fine salt to taste

HOW TO PREPARE EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

To prepare eggplant parmigiana, begin with the sauce.

1. Start by peeling and finely chopping the onion.
2. Heat some olive oil in a pot, ensuring it covers the bottom.
3. Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté it until it turns brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Then, introduce the tomato purée.
4. Season the sauce with salt and incorporate the basil leaves.
5. Rinse the container that held the tomato purée with a little water and pour this into the pot. Allow it to simmer over low heat for 45-50 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the cheese:

1. Cut the fiordilatte cheese into small cubes, reserving one piece for later.
2. Place the cheese cubes in a colander over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to drain, allowing excess liquid to escape.

Now, let's move on to the eggplant:

1. Wash and trim the eggplants.
2. Slice them lengthwise into 1/4-inch (4-5 mm) thick slices.
3. Fry the eggplant slices in peanut oil heated to 340°F (170°C) until they become lightly golden. Drain them on a tray lined with paper towels. If needed, layer more paper towels on top of the draining eggplant slices as you continue frying.

Assemble the dish:

1. Begin by adding a portion of the tomato sauce to a 9x13-inch (20x30-cm) baking dish.
2. Form the first layer by arranging the fried eggplant slices in the dish, followed by spooning more sauce, evenly spreading it, and sprinkling with cubes of fiordilatte.
3. Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and some basil leaves.
4. Start a new layer by repeating the process with more tomato sauce, fried eggplant slices arranged in opposite directions, additional cheese, and basil leaves. Continue these steps until you reach the last layer of eggplant.
5. For the final layer, add sauce and the fiordilatte piece you set aside, torn into smaller pieces by hand.
6. Finish off with grated Parmigiano cheese and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 390°F (200°C) for approximately 30 minutes.
7. After baking, allow the eggplant parmigiana to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Store your eggplant parmigiana in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for 1-2 days.

The Geek Recipe’s first Season saw three celebrated game industry celebrities spill the beans in Slitherine’s kitchen. From the Creative Director of WolfEye Studios and founder of Arkane Studios Raphael Colantonio to Ubisoft Milan’s Creative Director Davide Soliani (Mario + Rabbids series) and Frederik Schreiber, CEO of 3DREALMS. 

Credits

Text: Stephan Meijerhof