- Saganaki (flaming cheese) is a national Greek dish consisting of a hot cheese that can be baked, grilled or fried. Every village and taverna in Greece has its own recipe.
- Saganaki is nothing more than a thick slab of Kasseri cheese that is given a good splash of potent brandy and flamed. The firm, white Kasseri cheese sort of bakes right there on the metal serving dish, the outside barely browned by sizzling.
- Squeeze on some fresh lemon and enjoy it with some good Greek bread, which is exceptionally good at this place, and you’re off to a good start.
- Saganaki, the flaming fried cheese comes to the tables in Greek restaurants accompanied by a hearty “Opaa!”
Saganaki Greek salad
Ingredients:
- 6 rashers streaky bacon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 200g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 small red pepper, finely chopped Paprika
- 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Greek Salad recipe Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ gas mark 6.
- Lay out the bacon strips in an ovenproof dish. Add a splash of olive oil on top. Cook the bacon in the oven for about 10 minutes until crispy.
- Place the crumbled feta on top of the bacon. Scatter over the red peppers and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Sprinkle generously with paprika.
- Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the top is slightly golden.
- Scatter over the parsley and serve with the crusty bread.
2 servings
Some tips for making superior Saganaki:
- Serve with a green salad, a bottle of retsina wine and loads of crusty white bread. Preparation: 7 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes.
- For the first course you can have saganaki, fried cheese that is flamed and served hot with plenty of Greek bread. In Greece saganaki sometimes is baked in the oven with shrimp and tomatoes.
