Saganaki (aka Greek Fried Cheese)

Saganaki is a Greek dish that is prepared in a small frying pan with two handles. This process is best known using floured semi-hard cheese and frying it in olive oil (or butter). Traditionally, in Greece you fry up the cheese and serve it with lemon, although at some point restaurant owners started lighting it up with a shot of brandy or ouzo and yelled “OPA” and extinguished it with a squirt of lemon juice. It definitely brings up the “Kefi”, which means fun, doing it this way 🙂 .

The cheeses usually used for saganaki are graviera, kefalograviera, kasseri, and kefalotyri, but you can try it with your favorite semi-hard cheese if you can’t find these. You only need a little bit of olive oil to fry them up (there is no need to deep fry, especially for your arteries). Just start with a hot pan, I find cast iron is the best, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and then add the dredged cheese. Once it gets golden on one side (and the cheese slightly starts to melt on the sides) flip it and golden up the other side. Serve with a generous squirt of lemon and pita bread. You can dip the bread in the sauce which is sooo good!

You will need:

• 8 oz wedge or block of kasseri, graviera, kefalotyri, or other semi-hard pale yellow cheese
• 1/2 cup cool water
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 lemon cut in half
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shot 80 proof liquor, such as brandy, ouzo, vodka, rum, etc. (optional)

Steps:

1. Cut cheese into 1/2 inch thick pieces. It can be rectangles, squares, or you can keep it in a big chunk but make sure it’s not more than 1/2 inch thick.
2. Dip both sides into cool water and then dredge well in flour. Set on plate and continue with the rest of your pieces .
3. When you are ready to fry, heat a medium sized iron skillet until hot and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once oil is heated, gently shake off excess flour from cheese and carefully lay in hot oil.
4. Cook cheese for about 2 minutes then using a small spatula and fork (use fork to make sure it doesn’t splatter into the oil when turning it) turn pieces over and cook another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Both sides should be lightly golden brown and starting to melt on the edges.
5. Turn heat off and quickly pour the liquor around the middle (if using) and light with a long neck lighter. As it lights up, yell “OPA!”. Flambéing is optional. If you never have done it before then wear a heat resistant glove, and only do it if you are an adult.
6. Once flame has mostly gone down then squeeze 2 lemon halves around the cheese to extinguish the rest of the flame. If you do not choose to flambé just squeeze lemon onto fried cheese straight off.
7. Serve with pita bread to dip in the oil and lemon sauce…yum! Make sure you eat cheese soon after done, otherwise the cheese firms up as it sits, but it is still tasty.

Kali Orexi!