Do you like fried cheese? This authentic saganaki recipe, which is a fried Greek cheese, only needs a fresh squeeze of lemon to bring out its delicious flavor. We enjoyed this unique Greek appetizer at Zeus Throne, a beautiful oceanview restaurant perched on the cliffs in Afionas.
From your table, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Porto Timoni and the Ionian Sea. And just a short walk down shore, you’ll find one of the most beautiful beaches in Corfu, Greece. We started our day here at the restaurant before making the trek down the trail, which runs behind the restaurant.
We got to the restaurant between breakfast and lunch, so we ordered a nice iced cappuccino followed by a Prosecco. Why not?
When looking at the menu, we asked for our waiter’s recommendations. He was quick to suggest their Saganaki, which was perfect for sharing before our trek down to the beach.
The waiter told us that an authentic Greek Saganaki recipe uses one of several cheeses, which provide a nice stringy texture when fried in the light batter.
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Some typical cheeses used in this dish include graviera, kasseri, kefalotyri or kefalograviera cheeses. A halloumi — and possibly provolone or mozzarella — will also work if you can’t find the Greek cheeses.
Before heading down the trail, we took a few photos in Afionas, which is a charming village that will soon host the cast and crew of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.” We actually got to talk to the former mayor of Afionas, who shared his stories and pride for the city while shuttling us back from the beach to our car.
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other Greek recipes on the website. They include this authentic Greek Salad or Greek Chicken Souvlaki. If you try this recipe, please do leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!
Greek Saganaki Fried Cheese
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 4 ounces Greek graviera cheese cut into a 4×4 block about 3/4-inch thick
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon cut in half
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil for frying the cheese
Instructions
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Add a little salt and pepper.
- Run the cheese under cold running water and then coat on all sides with the flour. (You won’t use up all the flour). Shake off the excess.
- Heat the oil in a pan. When hot, fry the cheese on both sides until golden brown. You want the cheese to be gooey inside but not completely melted.
- Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a side salad.
