In this episode we are making Shrimp Saganaki, which is a traditional Greek shrimp dish that’s made with shrimp, tomatoes, and feta. It’s a wonderful one-pan meal that’s easy to make on busy weeknights and also serves a crowd if you are having people over.
Shrimp are abundant in Greece and are found on menus all over the country. I like to cook them because they are so straightforward to prepare. I always buy them cleaned and deveined at the store. I prefer to keep the tails on for presentation, but you can get them with the tails off if you want.
This dish has three main components, the pan-fried shrimp, the sauce, and the feta on top. It’s really very simple. The purpose of pan frying the shrimp is giving it a lightly crispy exterior that adds flavor but isn’t overpowering. I complete this part while the tomatoes are roasting in the oven. We got the idea to do that based on the viral Tik-Tok pasta video that was popular last winter. Just like in that dish, when the tomatoes are finished cooking we add the feta and make a creamy sauce!
Traditionally in Greek the sauce is served in the pan with the shrimp and topped with a sprinkle of feta. Sometimes you’ll see it served with orzo, other times with a big chunk of crusty bread. There is no wrong way to serve it so long as you serve it hot from the stove. As you can see, like in Greece, I serve it in a large hot stainless steel pan. Sometimes you’ll see it served in individual hot skillets too.
This is such a great dish to enjoy year round and it really is not hard to prepare. I hope you like this delicious way to enjoy shrimp.
Shrimp Saganaki
In this recipe I’m giving a traditional Greek shrimp recipe a special twist. I started making tomato sauce like this after the feta pasta craze that swept social media. It makes the sauce so much easier!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 lb bag of frozen or fresh shrimp – peeled with tails on 4 pints of grape tomatoes ½ cup olive oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper ½ tsp oregano 2 cups vegetable oil 1 2 ounce shot ouzo
½ lb high quality feta cheese fresh parsley for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Add the tomatoes to a baking dish. Toss them with the olive oil, salt and pepper and oregano and bake them for 30 minutes, or they are collapsed and easily pressed down with a fork.
While the tomatoes are baking prepare the shrimp. Rinse and dry the shrimp and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper, then dip the shrimp in the flour and tap off the excess, return it to the lined pan.
Add the oil to a heavy bottom pan and bring the heat to medium high.
Working in batches, use tongs to add the shrimp to the hot oil carefully and cook them for about 2 minutes per side, when they are cooked they will be pink and lightly golden brown on all sides. Don’t overcook them or they will get tough and rubbery. When all the shrimp are cooked drain the oil out of the pan into a heat-safe container and set aside to cool.
Once the tomatoes are cooked remove them from the oven and press them down with a fork or potato masher until they form a chunky aromatic tomato sauce.
Bring the shrimp pan back to the stove and add all the shrimp into the pan. Pour the shot of ouzo into the pan and light it with a match, a flame will form, and the shrimp will sizzle. Let the shrimp cook until the alcohol has cooked off, about 20-30 seconds.
Add the tomato sauce to the pan, sprinkle the feta on top and stir everything together. It will make a nice creamy sauce.
Remove the pan from the stovetop and garnish it with parsley. Serve hot.
Enjoy!
Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT. She is currently operating with COVID-safe procedures and is happy to discuss your event and catering needs with you. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekasevents.com or call 203.658.8659.
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