Greek Cheese Saganaki
Saganaki is a beloved Greek appetizer that’s easy to make at home. Simply fry cheese until it’s golden brown and melted and serve with a squeeze of lemon. If you’re feeling festive, treat your guests to a (totally optional) tableside flambé.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) block semi-hard cheese like kefalotyri, graviera, or pecorino (see note)
- All purpose flour, for coating
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small lemon, cut into wedges
- 1/2 ounce brandy or ouzo, to flambé (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cheese. Use a sharp knife to slice the cheese into two 1/2-inch-thick slices. Rinse each slice with room temperature water, then pat them dry slightly. (This will help the flour adhere to the cheese.)
- Coat the cheese in flour. Spread flour onto a rimmed plate and season with black pepper. Dredge the two pieces of cheese in the flour, coating all over.
- Fry the cheese. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully arrange the slices side by side in the skillet. Pan-fry the cheese for a couple of minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Lower the heat slightly so it does not brown too fast. Flip the cheese and sear until the other side is golden brown.
- Finish and serve. Squeeze some lemon juice over the cheese and serve at once. Or, to flambé the cheese, pull the pan off the heat. Pour the brandy into the skillet and carefully ignite it. Once the alcohol burns off, squeeze some lemon juice on top and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use feta cheese, but it will cook more quickly. Make sure to keep an eye on things and take it off the heat as soon as it’s golden brown.
- Try to get a block of cheese (about 4x4-inches), instead of a wedge of cheese. This will allow you to cut it into two thick slices of even thickness. You can also ask the cheesemonger to cut the block for you into two, 1/2 inch-thick slices of cheese (4 ounces each). To make four individual portions, you can cut each slice into two triangles, for a total of four triangles.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 136.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 13.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.9g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 3.8mg | Potassium: 37.7mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 0.7g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 9.8mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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