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Saganaki (Greek σαγανάκι, literally
"little frying-pan") refers
to various dishes prepared in Greek cuisine, and is named after the
single-serving frying-pan it is cooked in. |
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Left: Saganaki. |
One popular example is an appetizer of pan-seared cheese. The cheese used in
saganaki cheese is usually kefalograviera, kasseri, kefalotyri, or sheep's milk
feta cheese. Regional variations include the use of formaella cheese in Arachova
and
halloumi cheese in Cyprus. The cheese is melted in a small frying-pan until
it is bubbling, and generally served with lemon juice and pepper. It is eaten
with bread.
Other dishes that are traditionally cooked in the pan include shrimp saganaki
(Greek γαρίδες σαγανάκι), and
mussels saganaki (Greek μύδια σαγανάκι), which are
typically feta-based and include a spicy tomato sauce.
In many United States, Canadian and Australian restaurants, after being fried,
the saganaki cheese is flambéed at the table
and the flames then extinguished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
