Saganaki Opa
Without being sexist, I think we ladies love to munch on a bunch of little canapés versus guys. When I took my mother to a Spanish restaurant where their specialties are tapas, the venue was mostly packed with women 👩🦰👩🦱👱♀️ – there were also two men accompanied by their wives…that was it!
I love hors d’oeuvres and canapés and I always serve some when we have guests over. Some take time to make 👩🍳 while others are quite fast like Tuna Melt, Crab Artichoke Pepper Dip, Bruschetta, Tuna Tataki with Avocado Slaw, and so on. When it comes to the ones made with cheese, the list goes on as well; Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Dip, Crab Rangoon, Beer Cheese Dip, Grilled Jalapeño Poppers, Pepper Jack Cheese Sticks and many more.
Although all of them are relatively fast, this featured one is definitely the fastest… Saganaki Opa! This Greek appetizer is so delicious! From start to finish, it takes 5 minutes… how can you beat that? With perfectly golden fried cheese 🧀, this is a dish everyone enjoys and more so if you’re a cheese lover. It’s simple and so tasty!
For those of you who have been following me for years, you know my nickname is Minnie Mouse. I love cheese and this is the ultimate recipe for us cheese lovers. I’m not kidding… our fridge drawer is packed with different kinds of cheese plus more in the freezer – check out this trick when grating soft cheese… Secret for Better Grating Soft Cheeses/Butter
To make this recipe, the best cheese to use in my book is Kefalotyri – this is the kind used in my Pastitsio recipe… it’s so delicious! If you can’t find it, Monterey Jack is a very good substitute. One important thing to remember is the thickness of the cheese has to be ½-inch to 2/3-inch. If you go thinner, it will melt and we want to keep it as intact as possible when frying it.
Another point I would like to raise is to make sure the cheese is well coated with flour and that includes the edges as well which will help keep the cheese from oozing out as much. To pan fry, I use a small shallow skillet and bring the oil to 350ºF. From there, it takes 3 minutes ⏳ at the most to fry it on both sides… it’s that fast!
Did you know that the famous flame show 🔥 is not traditional? It originated in one of Chicago’s Greektown restaurants back in the 60s’. Of course, who doesn’t like to be entertained and from there, it spread rapidly across America. If you want to impress your guests, make sure your lighter works because in the video, you’ll see I’m struggling with it although at the end, I was able to get my Saganaki Opa show… it was a small opa!
If you’re a cheese lover 💖 then this Saganaki Opa is the perfect appetizer for you! Served with crackers or slices of bread, this is ideal to make when entertaining. Go get yourself a good lighter and impress your guests with this easy recipe…
Bon Appétit!🍽
Here are several more delicious Greek inspired recipes for you to enjoy…😀
– Greek Dolmades with Avgolemono Sauce
– Greek Ouzo Pork Kebabs
– Spanakopita
– Avgolemono Chicken Soup
– Greek Pizza
– Chicken Gyros
– Greek Lemon Rosemary Potatoes
– Baked Greek Pita Wedges
and for even more antipasto recipes 🍢, click on this link… Recipe Category • Antipasto/Canapés/Hors d’Oeuvres
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
Saganaki Opa
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Ingredients
- 4 ounces Kefalotyri cheese (substitute Monterey Jack), about 1/2-inch thick
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, for frying tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. Ouzo
- 1 large lemon wedge
Directions
- Immerse the cheese in cold water for a few seconds and hold it to remove any excess.
- Dredge in flour making sure it’s well coated including the edges; remove any excess flour.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, add oil and when the temperature reaches 350ºF, add the coated cheese; fry for about 2 minutes or until nice and golden.
- Flip it and fry for only 1 minute.
- For a flame show, pour in Ouzo and ignite it. Squeeze on some lemon juice and serve immediately.
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