Flaming saganaki, the fried Greek cheese set alight with brandy at the table, takes just 15 minutes to make at home with Chef John’s Allrecipes method, which home cooks rate 4.8 out of 5.
Flaming saganaki starts with a firm cheese
Saganaki takes its name from the sagani, the small two-handled frying pan used to cook it in Greece. In its simplest form, it is a thick slice of cheese dusted in flour and fried until the outside turns golden while the middle softens.
The fire came later. According to Allrecipes, restaurateurs in Chicago started the habit of pouring brandy over the hot cheese and lighting it, while diners shouted “Opa!” as the flames rose. As a result, flaming saganaki became a fixture of Greek restaurants in the United States, and the dish now turns up on taverna menus around the world.
Greek City Times has previously reported on saganaki’s place among the world’s best dishes. Still, few people try it in their own kitchens, even though the method needs only one pan and a handful of ingredients.
Chef John Mitzewich, who wrote the recipe, uses kasseri, a semi-hard Greek cheese made mainly from sheep’s milk. It holds its shape in the pan but melts in the centre, which is what gives flaming saganaki its stretch. In addition, he says Graviera, Kefalograviera, Kefalotyri or even a firm feta also work.
Halloumi is another option, although he points out that it barely melts, so the soft centre is lost. Readers who want to compare those cheeses can start with Greek City Times’ guide to Greek cheeses worth trying.
Ingredients for kasseri cheese saganaki
The Allrecipes version serves two as a starter. Overall, the shopping list for flaming saganaki is short, and most of it is probably already in the pantry.
- 1 packet (about 115 g, or 4 oz) kasseri cheese
- 1 tablespoon water, plus extra if needed
- 1/4 cup plain flour, plus extra if needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brandy, at room temperature
- Half a lemon, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Chef John adds that any high-proof spirit can replace the brandy, and dried oregano can stand in for the parsley. Each serve comes to about 391 calories, according to the Allrecipes nutrition panel.
How to fry and light it
The flaming saganaki recipe needs about 10 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of cooking. Because the cooking moves fast, measure everything out before the pan goes on the stove.
- Brush both sides of the cheese with water, then press each side into the flour until it is fully coated.
- Heat a well-seasoned cast iron pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke, then add the olive oil.
- Lay the cheese in the hot oil and fry for about two minutes, until a golden crust forms and the cheese begins to ooze.
- Turn it quickly with a spatula and fry the second side for about 30 seconds.
- Take the pan off the heat and set it on a heatproof board or plate.
- Pour the brandy over the cheese and light it with a long fireplace lighter.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the top to put out the last flames, then scatter over the parsley.
Allrecipes suggests serving flaming saganaki with sliced fresh or grilled bread. The lemon does two jobs at once, since it cuts through the rich cheese while it puts out the fire.
Tips from home cooks
More than 20 home cooks have rated this flaming saganaki on Allrecipes. One member, elwain, wrote: “The flaming brandy went well without setting my kitchen on fire!!”
Reviewers also shared practical advice. In particular, one warned that a pan that is too hot will burn the cheese and fill the kitchen with smoke, so the oil should only just start to smoke. Another suggested soaking the cheese in brandy for an hour before frying it.
Safety came up as well. One reviewer noted that the napkin under the pan, which the original method mentions, should be removed before the brandy goes in, given that loose paper near an open flame is a fire risk. That is why this version calls for a heatproof board instead.
Similarly, keep long hair, sleeves and tea towels well away from the pan when lighting flaming saganaki, and never pour brandy straight from the bottle into a hot pan. Lighting it at the table also gives guests the full taverna moment, which is half the fun of the dish.
For a seafood take on the same pan, Greek City Times also has a traditional prawn saganaki recipe. The original Saganaki (Flaming Greek Cheese) recipe is on Allrecipes, along with Chef John’s video.
Source: Allrecipes
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