Cretan Dakos Salad (Barley Rusk with Tomato & Feta)

Name: Cretan Dakos Salad (Barley Rusk with Tomato & Feta)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: barley rusks 2 ea; ripe tomato 250 g; feta cheese 70 g; olive oil 2 tbsp; dried oregano 0.5 tsp; black olives 40 g; red wine vinegar 1 tsp

Quick answer

Total time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

On Crete, dakos piles grated ripe tomato, juice and all, onto a hard barley rusk, putting bread and salad on one plate.

The rusk slowly drinks in the tomato juice, leaving a soft, moist center and an edge that still crunches. That is why the rusk gets only a light sprinkle of water on top, as a long soak would take away the crisp rim altogether. Crumbled feta adds salt against the tomato's acidity, while black olives and dried oregano rubbed between the fingers bring aroma. Islanders eat it as a summer starter or a light meal on its own, and the riper the tomato, the better it tastes.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

barley rusks2 ea

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Instructions

7 steps

1

Keep the 250 g ripe tomatoes chilled, then halve them.

Grate the cut sides on the coarse side of a grater, collecting all pulp and juice in a bowl and discarding the skins left in your hand.
2

Set the 2 barley rusks on a serving plate and spoon only 1 to 2 tbsp water over the top surface.

Do not soak them in a bowl; wait about 1 minute so they soften slightly but stay sturdy.
3

Spoon the grated tomato, including its juice, generously onto the center of the rusks.

Leave a little of the outer rim exposed so the middle absorbs moisture while the edges keep some crunch.
4

Crumble the 70 g feta by hand into coarse pieces and scatter it over the tomato.

Avoid mashing it into a paste; distinct salty pieces give better contrast against the juicy tomato.
5

Scatter the 40 g black olives over the feta, then rub 0.5 tsp dried oregano lightly between your fingers as you sprinkle it.

Spreading it widely prevents one bitter, herb-heavy bite.
6

Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp red wine vinegar in a thin stream over the top.
7

Rest for about 3 minutes, then serve while the center is moist and the edges still have texture.