Ever see this flaming dish at a Greek taverna? Ever hear the Greek waiter shout OPA? This next dish is inspired by the many Greek restaurants, eateries and tavernas that serve up this style of fried cheese to a clientele that never ceases to tire of this ritual.
Whoever said presentation never mattered to a dish must have never opened a Greek restaurant. I know of non-Greeks who whenever they go for Greek, they always order the “Flaming Saganaki” dish.
Saganaki is most commonly know as the appetizer of fried cheese. The usual cheese that’s used is a Kefalograviera, which is a semi-salty cheese that’s fried, flambeed with Ouzo or Metaxa brandy then doused with a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Saganaki can come in varied forms as a dish. The word saganaki is a diminutive of sagani, a frying pan with two handles. The Turks call it a sahan.
When your waiter lights up the Saganaki, you’re surely going to hear a robust OPA! It (OPA) literally means “to jump” and it’s used in many ways to say “bravo”, “WoW”, “all right” or in today’s lingo, “You Go”!
When a Greek says OPA, they are usually dispensing complements, admiring your zest for life, your dancing or drinking prowess or showing their admiration of a performance.
I’m taking a departure from usual cheese for Saganaki and I’m using a Cypriot Halloumi cheese. It’s a firm, slightly salty cheese, it’s buttery and, it’s one of my favourite of the Greek cheeses.
Before you attempt some serious harm on yourself, always pour your liquor of choice into a shot glass and then empty it into the vessel you’re using for a flambe. NEVER pour hard liquor from the bottle into the flambe vessel…the flame can travel all the way up into the bottle and cause your very own kitchen nightmare.
Now that we’re beyond living dangerously in the kitchen, WoW your house guests and light up the Saganaki, and get everyone to shout out, OPA!!!!!!!!!!!
Fried Saganaki With Halloumi
1-2 slices of Halloumi cheese
egg wash
all purpose flour
sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. olive oil
a shot of Ouzo or brandy
juice of 1/4 of a lemon
- Organize 3 plates for 1) dredging your cheese in flour; 2) coating the cheese in eggwash ; 3) coating the cheese in sesame seeds.
- Slice your cheese and coat in flour, then egg wash and finally coat it in sesame seeds.
- Place your fry pan (Saganaki) on medium-high neat and add your olive oil. Drop a sesame seed to see if the oil is hot enough (if the seeds crackles, you’re ready for frying).
- Fry your cheese for 2 minutes and then flip to fry on the other side for just over a minute.
- Take the Saganaki off the heat and pour in your shot of liquor and ignite the alcohol.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice and serve immediately with toasted pitas or crusty bread.
22 Responses
The fried cheese looks marvelous! How fun! Presentation is the first to be enjoyed by the senses, then aroma. I just love the show of food be served with flare.
Peter, thank you so much for your perusal of the lemon meringue pie and all my other concoctions that I have worked on throughout. You are encouraging and kind along with being a very talented Greek cook! I always look forward to seeing what new things you are up too and I also know that I will get an education to go with the wonderful food. Thank you,
Shandy
OPA once more :-P
OPA!!!!!!!!
I totally love your picture of the flames, and I love using halloumi for Saganaki!
I’ll say it again — OPA!!!!!!
Opa Peter. I love saganaki and I like the sesame seeds you’ve coated it with yummy, but I am still afraid to put anything on flames.
OPA!!!This is our favourite (well maybe one of our favourites) but we always order it when it’s available!
Ohh, I’ve never had saganaki with sesame seeds but what a great addition! Opa!
Another nice dish. I think I’d better stay away from flames, though.
Great post Peter. I’d sure like to try some of that cheese right now.
Man, fried cheese is just so RIGHT. Tony Bourdain did the Greek Isles in last night’s No Reservations – I thought of your cooking when I watched it!
halloumi for saganaki is the best… popo looks like am going out for dinner and will order one today… opa..
its freezing cold in athens right now
oh.my.god. fried Halloumi!!
I love fried cheese. Any and all kinds!
Well, there’s only one thing to say about this post..OPA!
OPA!!!
i just had fried haloumi the other day with some roasted peppers. flambeed sounds like the perfect way to have them.
I love saganaki, well all with cheese is so good to me this is OPA( I love how it sounds)
I made and really liked saganaki. I have been meaning to try it with ouzo and now I will have to add trying it with sesame seeds to my list. I think I will pass of the flames though…
Opa! I’ve only had this twice, once at a great restaurant in Chicago called Greek Islands, and once on a cruise (on a Greek ship line.) Both times I just loved it!
Opa!!I love this, and always order it as an appetizer when we go Greek!! Last night I was watching Anthony Bourdain on “No Reservations” and he was in Greece, drinking Raki, and eating Greens in the countryside, I thought of both you and Valli.Do you get that show in Toranto?
by the way I did not introduce myself…. am Filipina residing in Athens since my teens, home is Athens if am not elsewhere… just sharing my love for Greece, Greeks, Greek food & culture.
Shandy, light up your kitchen, this app. tastes great.
Heather and Proud Italiana, I’m watching Anthony Bourdain’s Greek Island show today. My friend Byron accompanied Anthony throughout the episode.
Shalimar, welcome to my blog and I hope you’re enjoying the food I share.
Kalyn, this flamin’ cheese is a standard at most Greek tavernas in North America.
So simple; so logical; so why didn’t I think of it? (Shot glass first, then pan)
Great looking flames! And Cheese!
Love the fried halloumi with lemon – great dish Peter.