Saganaki is a Greek appetizer made by frying or grilling cheese, typically made from traditional Greek cheeses, and served in small quantities as part of a range of small dishes. It can be prepared in various ways and is often served with lemon juice. It is part of a larger spread of foods and is not considered unhealthy when consumed in moderation.
Saganaki is a Greek appetizer made by frying or grilling cheese. Like other Greek appetizers or meze as they are known in Greek, saganaki is designed to be eaten in small quantities, as part of a range of small dishes. There are several ways to prepare saganaki, ranging from frying the cheese in a traditional pan known as sagani to grilling the cheese in the oven.
In Greece, saganaki is typically made from traditional Greek cheeses, which tend to be both highly aromatic and salty. These intense cheeses are suitable for frying; people outside of Greece can use feta, a traditional Greek cheese, but they can also experiment with cheeses like parmesan and mozzarella. Other Greek cheeses that are used to make saganaki include: mizithra, kefalotiri and manouri. Particularly soft and runny cheeses are not recommended, as they will fall apart in the cooking process.
When prepared in the traditional way, saganaki is fried in a sagani and served in the same pan, to preserve the distinctive golden crust. Consumers cut small pieces of cheese and can sprinkle them with lemon juice or consume them directly. Cooks who don’t want to fry their cheese can glaze it with melted butter and then bake it in the oven. Either way, the inside of the cheese becomes soft and runny, while the outside is crunchy, with a crispy, bubbly outer layer.
Some versions of saganaki involve the use of a simple batter, designed to make the cheese even more robust. Cooks can also wrap cheese around other foods, such as shrimp, to create a variety of appetizers. In adventurous kitchens, the cheese is soaked in brandy and flambéed, served hot at the table after being quenched with lemon juice. This type of saganaki is especially popular in North America.
While the thought of fried cheese might not seem particularly healthy, it’s important to remember that saganaki is served as part of a much larger spread of foods, including a variety of mezes from fried ocotopus rings to stuffed grape leaves. Each diner takes only a small portion, getting a sample of a variety of foods, and thus the unhealthy nature of saganaki is mitigated. For cooks wanting to hold a meze party at home, it can help to recruit several people to bring appetizers, thus ensuring a wide range of items without creating a heavy workload for one person.
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