I immediately perked up when I found the hidden recipe for risotto ai funghi in plenty of them in Great Circle.

But then I took a closer look and realized, thanks to the painstaking level of detail that permeates every aspect of the game, it was a real recipe, with real measurements and real cooking instructions. Quickly, I realized that I could screenshot this recipe and attempt to make it in my own kitchen, (almost) exactly as written, and see how it worked. Mushroom risotto is one of my favorite hearty, winter meals, and with New York in the grip of sub-freezing temperatures, there'd never be a better time. The recipe isn't too different from my own, but I knew I'd be a harsh judge - I take my risotto very seriously.

Where To Find The Risotto Recipe

Searching The Vatican

The recipe is reprinted in full above, but in case you want to find it yourself, here's how. From the Via di Belvedere area of the Vatican map, simply jump through the window into the post office. You'll know you've got the right place if you hear two Blackshirts arguing about feral cats and stolen liquor in the distance. The risotto ai funghi recipe sits on a table just inside the window; simply pick it up, and it's yours.

Risotto ai funghi is a popular Italian dish consisting of rice slowly simmered in broth, spooned into the pot in small portions and allowed to absorb fully before adding more. When made right, it's creamy, savory, and warming - but the constant stirring it demands is a labor of love, requiring a lot of patience and some serious stamina. This is one of several recipes you can find in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Others include cacio e pepe in the Vatican, ful medames in Gizeh, and tom yum goong in Sukhothai. They're all just as complete as the risotto ai funghi one; you could build the foundations of a pretty decent cookbook just by picking these up.

How I Made The Risotto Recipe

Getting The Ingredients & Cooking

The first step of the risotto ai funghi recipe in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle reads, "Pick some fresh chanterelles in the forest." Now, I knew I wasn't going to do all that; even if I wasn't terrified of accidentally picking the wrong species and poisoning myself, chanterelles are out of season, and I'm not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to forests, locally. But weirdly enough, sourcing chanterelles proved to be the hardest part of this recipe.

First, I tried the mushroom guy at the farmer's market, who simply shook his head; next, I tried every fruit and veggie vendor within a half mile; and finally, I ventured into midtown Manhattan to try the fancier, gourmet stores. At every turn, I came up empty, until I finally found them through a local grocery delivery service that had happened to send me a coupon. So suffice it to say that, if you want to make this recipe at home and encounter the same struggle, you may want to settle for creminis if you can't find chanterelles at your first stop.

When cleaning chanterelles (or any mushrooms, really), don't run them under water for too long. Mushrooms take on water very readily, and you don't want soggy shrooms in your sauté pan.

The following step instructs you to place dried porcini mushrooms in a pot of vegetable broth while you heat it. ittedly, I was skeptical; I didn't think the mushrooms would have enough time to really infuse the broth with that earthy flavor in the few minutes it took to simmer. But I duly followed instructions, and, after tasting it a few minutes later, I was shocked by how quickly and how deeply a small handful of porcini mushrooms had deepened the flavor of my store-bought broth. I even added some of the rehydrated porcini chunks to the finished dish later.

Next, you have to sweat the risotto with "a lot of butter" (I used three tablespoons) and a diced onion, then deglaze the pan with white wine. This is pretty standard risotto stuff, and a necessary step in the process - I did, however, doctor the recipe slightly by adding a clove of chopped garlic here. I could've gotten away with two.

Now, for the most complicated and time-consuming step: keeping the heat on low, you'll need to spoon your simmering broth into the pot with the rice "a little at a time," stirring constantly until it's mostly dissolved before adding more. This can take up to a half hour. I was a little surprised the Indy recipe didn't include measurements: if you need them, about a large ladleful or 1/2 of a cup should be nice for each round of broth. From there, you just sauté the chanterelles with some chopped shallots, top it with parsley and Parmesan, and you're done.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the results of the risotto recipe I'd found in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I have two notes: for one, I definitely recommend getting a little extra broth than the 2.5 liters it calls for, just in case. And I think it could've used a little more bite - that extra clove of garlic would've gone a long way. But I was pleasantly surprised by how complete and easy the recipe was, especially for a video game Easter egg. If I could come by the chanterelles a little more easily next time, I'd absolutely make it again.

Practical Video Game Easter Eggs Are My Favorite Kind

Easter Eggs Can Be More Than References

Look, I love the satisfaction of finding any Easter egg. Whether it's a reference to another piece of Indiana Jones media, a real piece of history or culture, or an entirely unrelated work, I always enjoy the little glint of recognition and knowing satisfaction that comes with finding and understanding an Easter egg. (I like them even better if they come with achievements, or some kind of usable in-game item, but that's beside the point.) But with things like these recipes, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle proves that Easter eggs can be more than just references to other works of media.

Easter eggs can be fun, practical things that you take with you out of the game. It's not the first game to do this - I still a friend telling me, after a visit to Tokyo's Kabukichō district, that he was able to navigate the neighborhood better because he recognized landmarks from the Yakuza games. But Indy does it exceptionally well, and not just in its recipes, but in its virtual tourism and references to real-life history, too. You can actually learn things by playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and your experience is richer for it.

So if you, too, find a recipe in The Great Circle that makes your mouth water, I'd encourage you to try it. I certainly don't regret my experience, and I'd be willing to go out and try another one soon - maybe the xiaolongbao. In a testament to the incredible detail put into every aspect of the game, searching for recipes, Easter eggs, and other secrets has since become my favorite part of playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.