Saganaki (Greek Fried Cheese)

Just back from an amazing trip to Greece! I have a house in the Cyclades (my family does) and I went for a week with a few friends. Even though the kitchen is rustic - no electricity, the fridge runs on gas, etc - it is my favorite place to cook. I love to cook up a simple lunch of tzatziki, pita, and saganaki which is always a huge hit after sitting on the beach and swimming in the beautiful, salty, Aegean Sea. Saganaki is essentially the Greek version of mozzarella sticks. Usually at a restaurant, they serve it as one big square, but I prefer cutting it into little squares to make it easier to snack on and share and it's great for groups. After lightly flowering the cheese, you quickly fry it up and cover the cooked cheese with a generous dose of fresh lemon juice. The big, red, ripe tomatoes and the acid of the lemon juice cut through the heaviness of the cheese and make the most delicious lunch! Served with a cold bowl of tzatziki and some toasted pitas (and a nice, icy Mythos) it's the perfect meal for a hot, sunny summer day.

Ingredients:

1 package of Kolios cheese (a Greek semi-hard cows milk cheese)

flour
olive oil
1-2 large, ripe, red tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 large lemon

Directions:
Slice the cheese into 1.5 inch squares. Run the squares under water then lightly cover them in flour, shaking off access. Heat about a quarter of an inch of olive oil in a large skillet until a little pinch of flour sizzles. Add the cheese one by one (be very careful of the hot oil!) and brown each side, flipping once. Arrange the cheese on a large plate or platter and cover with tomatoes. Then squeeze the juice of the lemon liberally over the whole platter.

And enjoy! If I can find this cheese or a substitute in New York (maybe out in Astoria) I will be whipping this up again and imagining I'm back on the beach!