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Fried Breakfast Cheese

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Fried" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Charlotte, North Carolina, has always had a large Greek community and any number of family restaurants and diners run by Greeks, and one of the many dishes the chefs have transformed over the years to fit the Southern repertory is the fried cheese (saganaki) often served at breakfast. Any semihard cheese can be fried in this manner, but nothing is more Southern and luscious than a full-flavored, well-aged cheddar that has just the right melting consistency. These triangles are also a big hit on the buffet table."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ ½ pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese
â—¦ ½ cup olive oil
â—¦ 2 lemon halves, seeded


Recipe

On a plate, combine the flour, oregano, and pepper and stir till well blended. Cut the cheese into eight 3 by 2-inch triangles about ½ inch thick, dredge in the flour mixture, and set aside.

In a medium, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil to 365° F on a deep-fat thermometer and, working in batches, fry the cheese triangles till just melted and golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a serving plate and squeeze lemon juice over the tops.

Makes 2 to 4 servings