Saganaki is actually the name of the traditional skillet in which you fry the cheese. Wikipedia tells us that fried cheese began in Cairo during the Middle Ages and was popular through the time of the Otttoman occupation. Since then, country after country has put their own spin on this hot melted delight. We have Queso Frito from Spain, fried Mozzarella sticks and Mozzarella en Carozza from Italy, Malakaff from Switzerland, Gougere (cheese puff), and Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame from France. The latter are not kosher because they are made with ham. Israel and Lebanon make various versions of fried Halloumi cheese and Greece makes fried cheese with Kasseri cheese-amongst several other Greek cheeses. I particularly love the Greek version of fried cheese-simply served with fresh lemon and pepper. I was able to find vegetarian Kasseri cheese; but was unable to find Kasseri with kosher certification. Halloumi and Feta are good substitutions for Kasseri and all can be found with kosher certification. I found Halloumi the easiest to handle for this recipe. It’s dry, mild and holds its shape. This recipe is so simple to prepare. The only caveat is that you need to eat it right way, still sizzling from the pan. I used a heavy stainless steel small pan and it worked very well. My own twist is to serve the Saganaki with a little cucumber salad on the side. The pickled cucumbers are a nice counterpoint to the rich fried cheese. Enjoy!
Prep time: 5 minutes