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Originally Posted by Mapiva  Saganaki is all technique. What kind of cheese are you using since that could be an indicator of what's going wrong with your dish.
In Greece most often we use kefalograviera, kasseri, or manouri cheese. I have also seen haloumi used but I don't like it quite as much as kasseri. The cheese should be cut in slices no thinner than 1/3 inch.
Coat the slice of cheese with egg (that has been whisked very well) and flour (unseasoned.) Shake off the excess and place in the hot sautee pan. I use a nonstick pan with 2 tbsp olive oil. Butter is not often used in Greek cooking, especially sauteeing. Let one side get golden brown without moving it around alot and then flip over to do the same.
In Kretan cuisine I've never seen the use of alcohol and flambeeing. Instead we remove from the heat and drizzle with fresh lemon juice instead. But if you like that, this is the part where you add the alcohol. When it is finished cooking, add a half a shot of ouzo and set aflame. I'll be in Krete next week though and will research this matter in depth  |
In America, I belive most of the restaurants use Kasseri cheese, and that is also I use and have good results.
Ouzo is typically drunk before the meal, but the places I have seen actually use brandy for the flambee of the Saganaki.
The most important part is to use a slab of cheese, about 1/3-1/2 inch thick, and you don't want to melt the cheese, just soften it.
Then at the end toss the brandy on and light it. You can squeeze the lemon over the top to put out the flames.
And yes, the places I have been to in Greece do not serve it flambee, seems that was an American who added that, for marketing, and it seemed to catch on, although some US restaurants, particularly on Long Island, will flambee it in the kitchen as some insurance policies do not permit open flames in the dining room.
SAGANAKI . . . trying agin 
