Greek saganaki is a beloved side dish enjoyed by millions of people both in Greece and worldwide, but where does it rank in terms of the world’s best dishes? According to TasteAtlas, an online guide that provides information on traditional food delicacies from around the world, Greek saganaki is the best cheese dish in the entire world!
Based on TasteAtlas’ users ratings, Greek saganaki earned an impressive score of 4.6 out of 5. Second was Argentina’s provoleta, with the third best cheese dish being Serbia’s Svrlički Belmuz. Italy’s Cacio e Pepe dish is considered the fourth best cheese dish globally.
What is this Greek saganaki loved by so many people?
Saganaki is a Greek appetizer loved by millions of people for its tangy and crunchy flavor.
The name “saganaki” refers to the small, two-handled frying pan in which the dish was traditionally prepared. However, saganaki can easily be made using a traditional frying pan and just a bit of oil.
While there are numerous variations that include meat and seafood like shrimp or even mussels, the most famous version of saganaki in Greece is cheese saganaki.
For a delicious Greek cheese saganaki, you will need a firm type of Greek cheese that will be pan-seared until golden and crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.
To make the perfect Greek saganaki, it is important to choose the right kind of cheese. This is probably the most important part of it all. The cheese must be tough and firm enough to maintain its shape when it is fried so that it doesn’t melt completely or otherwise crumble.
However, the cheese does need to melt slightly so that it’ll be gooey enough in the middle. Traditional Greek cheeses used for saganaki include graviera, kefalotyri, kefalograviera, or mpatzos, a traditional salty cheese of the West Macedonia region.
These semi-hard cheeses, typically made of sheep’s milk, have a mild, nutty flavor that releases beautiful aromas during the frying process. Regional variations include other cheeses such as formaela in Arachova, halloumi in Cyprus, or vlahotiri in Metsovo. It all depends on where you are in Greece!
How to make Greek saganaki, the best cheese dish in the world
Preparing Greek saganaki is simple. The cheese needs to be sliced into thick pieces, usually about 1 to 1.5 centimeters in thickness.
It is then lightly moistened with water and instantly dipped in flour to create a crispy crust so as to prevent the cheese from melting too much on the exterior.
The cheese is pan-fried in olive oil over medium heat until golden and crispy on both sides. Saganaki is traditionally served hot with a touch of freshly squeezed lemon juice to balance out the richness of the cheese.
