Saganakiflambe Recipes

Steps:

• Dust the cheese lightly with flour.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and when melted, fry the cheese until golden brown on both sides.
• Remove skillet from stove, pour jigger of warmed brandy over the cheese and light with a long matchstick.
• Serve immediately, when flame subsides, with lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Brush each side of the kasseri cheese with water. Dredge both sides in flour, making sure the surface is completely covered.
• Preheat a well seasoned cast iron skillet on medium-high heat until smoking. Pour in olive oil. Carefully place the floured cheese in the hot oil. Cook until cheese begins to ooze and a golden brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Quickly flip cheese over with a spatula. Fry until bottom is golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
• Remove skillet from heat and transfer onto a napkin-lined plate. Pour brandy over the cheese. Light the brandy using a fireplace lighter. Now you can exclaim "Opa!" and marvel at the fire. Squeeze some lemon juice on top to extinguish the last few flames and garnish with parsley.

Steps:

• For the tzatziki: Whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, dill, cucumber, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• For the burgers: Mix the beef with the cilantro, mint, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Form the meat into 4 balls, then press into 4-inch patties (each 1 inch thick). Make a 2-inch-wide indentation on the top of each patty with your thumb; this will prevent the burgers from bulging up during cooking.
• Set up a breading station: Divide the flour between 2 shallow bowls and lightly beat the egg in a third bowl. Working with one piece of cheese at a time, moisten the cheese under running water, then dip in the first bowl of flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg, then the second bowl of flour. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the beef patties and cook undisturbed until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned and cooked to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes more for medium. Set aside on a plate.
• Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium heat. Add the cheese and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and heated through, about 3 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully pour the ouzo over the cheese and immediately light with a long stick lighter. Let the flames burn for 10 to 15 seconds (yell out "OPA!"), then squeeze the lemon halves over the top to put out the flames.
• Spread the tzatziki on the cut sides of the buns. Top the bottom half of each bun with a burger, a cheese slice, some tomato, onion, cucumber and olives and the other piece of bun.

Steps:

• Dip the cheese slices in cold water, then flour them lightly.
• Heat 1/4-inch olive oil in a wide pan until smoking. Fry cheese slices 30 to 40 seconds on each side until golden brown. Remove and drain briefly on paper towels. Warm ouzo over a low flame. Put slices of cheese in a cast metal serving dish, pour ouzo over the slices and, standing clear, ignite the ouzo.
• Allow to burn briefly, then extinguish fire with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately.
• Suggested drink: Kourtakis Retsina of Attica

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir tomato paste into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Pour wine into tomato mixture; simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into wine mixture and simmer until mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.
• Spread tomato mixture into the base of a 6-cup baking dish; top with prawns and sprinkle evenly with feta cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until prawns are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 10 minutes; top with parsley.

Steps:

• Slice the cheese into 1/2" thick triangles or 3-4" squares (depending on the style you buy).
• Place brandy into a zip-lock baggie and add cheese portions, seal and let marinate for 2 hours).
• Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over a med/high heat. Remove cheese portions from marinade, reserving marinade for later use.
• Dredge cheese thru the flour, shaking off excess.
• Fry the cheese slices approx 2 minutes, flip with spatula and fry an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat when nicely seared on each side and gooey.
• Now here is where you need to heed a caution -- Carefully carry the cast iron skillet to the dinner table. Pour 1 ounce of the brandy marinade over the top of the fried cheese, and immediately set ablaze with a lighter. (Be sure to yell "Opa". Immediately squeeze a lemon slice over the top to dowse the flames.
• Serve with warmed pita slices and additional lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Rinse cheese slices under cold water (do not pat dry). Coat with flour. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add cheese and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.
• Squeeze lemon over cheese; sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Serve with tomatoes, pita and olives.