Akropolis Wins a Major Fun Award!

Episode 418 - Akropolis

Release Date: May 22, 2023	Download: Enhanced \| MP3
Running Time: 112 min	Subscribe: Enhanced \| MP3 \| RSS

In the heart of the Aegean, rival Greek cities seek wealth and glory. As an elite architect, you stand ready to help your city expand. New houses, temples, markets, gardens, and barracks will rise toward the sky. Harmonious planning will raise your city’s prestige, but only if you conform to specific building rules and keep your quarries filled with stone.

In Akropolis, you will select and places tiles over the course of 12 turns to build a miniature city in ancient Greece, scoring points for plazas and districts in five different ways.

Akropolis feels like five puzzles in one. Can you play with the shapes and layer the pieces to make each part of your city prosper?

ALSO FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

Francie Broadie joins us for a Mediterranean inspired Meal segment and the second installment of TARDIS Games, features a game straight from Mount Olympus.

Akropolis

Designer: Jules Messaud

Artist: Pauline Detraz

Publisher: Hachette | Gigamic | BGG Entry

2-4 players 30 min ages 8+ MSRP $40

Time to teach/learn: 5 minutes

The Meal

Thanks to Francie Broadie for joining the fun this time. We decided all our recipes should have a Mediterranean flare in honor of Akropolis.

Francie | Recipes: Baba Ghanoush & Homemade Pita Chips

Stephen | Game: Santorini

Recipe: Baba Ghanoush (link to recipe from thekitchn)

Ingredients

1 large eggplant (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon

1/4 cup tahini Freshly ground black pepper

Ground sumac, to garnish

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425ºF. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Oil the cut side lightly with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Roast, cut side up, for 1 hour, or until very soft and blackened around the edges. The eggplant halves will be puffy and expanded, but will collapse as they cool. Let cool for 1 hour.

Scoop the flesh away from the skin and discard the skin. Put the eggplant flesh in in a fine mesh strainer. Press out and drain any juice that will come out. Transfer to a mortar or food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and black pepper and blend thoroughly until very smooth. Taste and add additional lemon juice, olive oil, salt, or pepper to taste, if desired.

Refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors blend. Before serving dust lightly with ground sumac. Serve with warm pita bread, baked chips, or chopped raw vegetables.

Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container for up to five days.

Recipe: Homemade Pita Chips (link to recipe from thekitchn)

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
1 large pita bread with pockets or 2 without a pocket (2 to 3 ounces each)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet

Parchment paper or silicone baking mat

Pastry brush

Work surface

Sharp knife or kitchen shears

Instructions

Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a pastry brush, brush about 1 tablespoon of the oil over parchment or mat. Set aside.

Split the pitas if they have pockets: If you have thick, single-layer pitas or pocketless pitas or flatbread, skip this step. If your pitas have pockets, place the flat on your work surface and split them in half with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, to make 2 single-layer rounds.

Cut the pitas into 8 wedges: Place the pitas on a work surface. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut each as you would cut a pizza — in half, and then in half again, and finally in half again to make 8 triangular wedges. You will have 16 wedges. Set aside.

Brush the wedges with oil: With the pastry brush, brush each wedge with oil on both sides — to coat, but not to soak. If you are using thinner pita, use 1 tablespoon; if you are using thicker pitas, use 2 tablespoons.

Season the wedges: Sprinkle both sides of each wedge with the salt and, if using, the pepper.

Bake the pita chips: For thick pita bread, arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully turn the chips over, and return to the oven to bake until completely crisp and as golden-brown as you like, another 5 to 8 minutes. If you are using thin pita, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully turn the chips over, and return to the oven to bake until completely crisp and as golden-brown as you like, another 7 to 11 minutes.

Serve the pita chips: Let the pita chips cool completely before serving.

Game: Santorini |Roxley | BGG Entry

Doug | Recipe: Greek Orzo Salad | Recipe: Attika

Recipe: Greek Orzo Salad

Ingredients

1 ½cups uncooked orzo pasta
2 (6 ounce) cansmarinated artichoke hearts
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, drained
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½teaspoon dried oregano
½teaspoon lemon pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.

Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid.

Gather prepared ingredients together.

Combine pasta, artichoke hearts, cucumber, tomato, onion, feta, olives, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, and lemon pepper in a large bowl; toss well. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Game: Attika |BGG Entry