Authentic Dakos Recipe (Cretan Barley Rusk with Tomato and Feta)
This authentic dakos recipe captures the soul of Cretan cooking: barley rusks, grated ripe tomato, crumbled cheese, and excellent olive oil. No cooking required.
Ingredients
For the Dakos
- 8 Cretan barley rusks (paximadia) approximately 50-60g each
- 4 large very ripe tomatoes about 700g total
- 200 g feta cheese or soft mizithra crumbled
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon dried Greek mountain oregano
- flaky sea salt to finish
Optional Garnish
- black olives Kalamata or Cretan variety
Instructions
- Arrange the rusks on a serving platter or individual plates.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the rough upper surface of each rusk. Let rest 2-3 minutes while you prepare the tomatoes.
- Halve each tomato across its equator. Hold one half cut-side down against the large holes of a box grater over a wide bowl. Grate firmly in circular strokes until only the skin remains in your hand. Discard the skins.
- Spoon the tomato pulp generously over the oiled rusks, allowing it to run to the edges.
- Crumble the feta or mizithra generously over the tomato layer.
- Rub dried oregano lightly between your palms and scatter over each dakos. Add a pinch of flaky salt.
- Finish with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, poured in a slow thread across each piece.
- Serve immediately - dakos does not improve with time.
Notes
On sourcing paximadia: Cretan barley rusks are stocked at most Greek specialty food shops and can be ordered online. If unavailable, whole-grain sourdough sliced thick and toasted at 160C for 25 minutes gives a reasonable facsimile. Feta vs. mizithra: Mizithra is traditional - a soft, unsalted or lightly salted fresh sheep's milk cheese from Crete. Outside Greece, use good-quality Greek feta packed in brine, not pre-crumbled. Make-ahead: Grate tomatoes and crumble cheese up to a few hours in advance. Apply the first olive oil pour and assemble at the last moment. Use only peak-season tomatoes - this dish has no place to hide mediocre ingredients.
Nutrition
Serving: 2g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 680mg | Fiber: 5g