The Greek Cheese Saganaki: A Tasty Feta Alternative

Saganaki is a Greek dish of fried cheese, usually halloumi, kasseri, or even flour-dusted feta, served as a starter. It is cooked in a small, two-handled heavy-bottomed frying pan, also called a saganaki. The cheese is typically kefalotyri, graviera, or kefalograviera, but can also be pecorino Romano, Cypriot halloumi, or formaela from Arahova. Saganaki is often flambéed with ouzo or brandy, and served with lemon and pepper.

Saganaki is a Greek dish of pan-seared cheese

Saganaki is usually made with semi-hard or medium-hardness cheeses, such as halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri, graviera, kefalograviera, or sheep's milk feta cheese. Cypriot halloumi and mastello from the island of Chios are also used in regional variations. The cheese should be firm enough to withstand the heat without fully melting, while still becoming gooey and stringy in the middle.

To prepare saganaki, the cheese is sliced and coated in flour, which helps to create a crispy, golden crust. It is then pan-fried in olive oil until melted and bubbly. Saganaki is often served with a squeeze of lemon and can be flambéed with brandy or ouzo for a dramatic presentation. This practice of flambéing was started by restaurateurs in Chicago, who encouraged customers to shout "Opa!" as the dish was ignited.

Saganaki is a simple, delicious, and indulgent dish, perfect for sharing as a starter or meze, alongside other Greek dishes such as tzatziki, keftedes (Greek meatballs), and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves).

Saganaki is commonly flambéed in North America

Saganaki is a Greek dish of fried cheese, usually halloumi, kasseri, or even flour-dusted feta, served as a starter. It is cooked in a small, two-handled heavy-bottomed frying pan, also called a saganaki. The cheese is melted in the pan until it is bubbling and served with lemon juice and pepper. It is commonly eaten with bread.

While saganaki is traditionally not flambéed in Greece, it is often flambéed in North America. This tradition is said to have originated in the late 1960s at the Parthenon restaurant in Chicago's Greektown. The owner, Chris Liakouras, would give out free shots of ouzo to customers waiting outside the restaurant. When a customer ordered flaming saganaki, the waiter would pour brandy or ouzo and set it on fire, shouting "OPA!". The flames would then be extinguished with a squeeze of lemon juice. This practice has since spread to Greek restaurants across the United States and Canada, and it is now commonly known as "flaming saganaki".

To flambé saganaki, one must first fry the cheese until it is golden brown and melted. Then, the alcohol (usually ouzo or brandy) is added to the pan and ignited. Finally, lemon juice is squeezed over the cheese to extinguish the flames.

Saganaki is cooked in a small, two-handled heavy-bottomed frying pan

Saganaki is a Greek dish of fried cheese, cooked in a small, two-handled, heavy-bottomed frying pan, also called a saganaki. The word "saganaki" comes from the Turkish word "sahan", meaning "copper dish", which was borrowed from the Arabic word "ṣaḥn", meaning "dish" or "plate".

The cheese used in saganaki is usually one of the following: graviera, kefalograviera, halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri, or sheep's milk feta cheese. The cheese is typically sliced into a thick slab, coated in flour, and then fried in olive oil. It is important to choose a cheese that is firm enough to hold its shape when fried, but soft enough to become gooey and stringy on the inside. The goal is to achieve a nice thin crust with a soft, melty interior.

Saganaki is often served as an appetizer or starter, with a squeeze of lemon juice and sometimes a side of bread. It is commonly flambéed in North America, particularly in Greek restaurants in the United States and Canada. This practice is said to have originated in the late 1960s at the Parthenon restaurant in Chicago's Greektown. For the flambé, the fried cheese is doused in ouzo or brandy and set alight, often with a shout of "Opa!"'. The flames are then extinguished with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Saganaki is served with lemon wedges and crusty bread

Saganaki is a Greek dish of pan-seared cheese, typically served as an appetizer. The word "saganaki" refers to both the dish and the small, two-handled, heavy-bottomed frying pan in which it is cooked. The cheese is usually graviera, kefalograviera, halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri, or sheep's milk feta cheese, and it is fried until golden and crunchy on the outside and melted on the inside. It is often served with a squeeze of lemon and can be flambéed with ouzo or brandy for a dramatic presentation.

While saganaki can be enjoyed on its own, it is typically served with crusty bread and other appetizers, such as Greek meatballs, stuffed grape leaves, zucchini fritters, tzatziki, and spinach pies. The bread is perfect for mopping up the delicious pan sauce created by the combination of oil and lemon juice.

Saganaki is meant to be shared among everyone at the table and it is best served hot and fresh, as it tends to harden as it cools. This simple and delicious appetizer is a popular choice in Greek restaurants and can be easily prepared at home with just a few ingredients.

When preparing saganaki, it is important to select a cheese that can withstand the heat of frying without completely melting. The cheese should be firm enough to hold its shape but soft enough to become gooey and stringy on the inside. In addition to the cheeses commonly used in Greece, some alternative options for saganaki include Monterey Jack, provolone, young Pecorino, and Cypriot halloumi.

To prepare saganaki, the cheese is sliced into thick pieces, coated in flour, and then pan-fried in olive oil until golden brown and melted. It is then served immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread on the side. The combination of the crispy, golden crust and the gooey, melted cheese makes saganaki a delightful and indulgent treat for cheese lovers.

Saganaki is a Greek appetizer

Saganaki is usually made with hard cheeses that do not melt too quickly, such as graviera, kefalograviera, halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri, or sheep's milk feta cheese. The cheese is coated in flour and fried in olive oil until golden and crispy on the outside, and soft and gooey on the inside. It is then served with a squeeze of lemon juice and sometimes flambéed with brandy or ouzo.

Saganaki is often served as a meze (appetizer) to be shared among everyone at the table. It is commonly accompanied by other Greek dishes such as keftedes (Greek meatballs), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), tzatziki, and spanakopita. Saganaki can also be served with a simple salad, such as tomato or romaine, to balance out the richness of the cheese.

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