Hi friends! I am back from Greece and the first recipe I wanted to share with you is a simple dish that I have been enjoying this summer in Greece: the traditional tomato and Feta topped rusks from the island of Crete (Dakos). Dakos is served as a light meal, or, as a part of a meze platter. The dish requires no cooking and is an indispensable part of the local Cretan cuisine.
Crete is Greece’s largest and southernmost island and it possesses an incredible variety of regional dishes. Dakos is a dish made of barley rusks (a specialty of Crete since ancient times) which are topped with juicy, grated tomatoes and a combination of Feta cheese and a local white soft cheese called myzithra. This is then flavored with dried Greek mountain oregano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Essentially dakos is a delicious salad on top of crispy barley rusks.
About Rusks
Rusks, or, paximadia as we call them in Greece, are made with just barley flour, water, salt and yeast. They are very healthy because as a whole grain they have lots of soluble fiber. Rusks are twice-baked bread which make them hard, but it also gives them a much longer shelf life. Often these rusks are served in place of bread. They need to be slightly rehydrated first by running them briefly under cold water.
Rusks come in different sizes. The authentic Cretan rusks (shown in the ingredient shot, below) are large; about 4″ in diameter. For this recipe, however, I use smaller, barley rusks which are much easier to source outside Greece. These can be found in local Mediterranean markets and can also be ordered on-line (e.g., Amazon carries several Greek brands). A quick substitute for the rusks is very thick slices of toasted country-style whole wheat or sourdough bread.
Bread as part of the Mediterranean diet
Bread, in its many forms, plays a major role in the healthy Mediterranean diet. You can find it often in salads, where it is added to make them heartier and more substantial. The Italians have panzanella salad, the Spanish have pan con tomate, and in the Middle East they have Fattoush. In Greece, we have dakos!
Using this type of dried bread is common all over the Mediterranean, as it keeps for a long time which was important especially for times when people were not able to bake often. It is the base for a simple, peasant fare, and it is packed with flavor.
Essential Ingredients
- Tomatoes – the key ingredient to this dish, so use fresh, sun-ripened, juicy tomatoes. Their juices with help soften the barley rusks
- Cheese – a combination of Greek Feta and aged mizithra cheeses is the traditional topping. As mizithra might not be able to source outside Greece, we can substitute it with some Anthotiro cheese (the Greek version of Ricotta cheese), or just some good Ricotta cheese
- Olive oil – this is a recipe that calls for the best finishing extra virgin olive oil
- Barley rusks – in this picture (which I took in Greece), we see the authentic, larger Cretan rusks.
- Dried Greek oregano – this is worth seeking out at Mediterranean markets
- Optional toppings – chopped olives, capers, minced red onions, kritamos (sea fennel)
- Seasoning – sea salt
How to make Tomato and Feta Topped Rusks from the Island of Crete (Dakos)
- Step one: Grate (or finely chop) the tomatoes and mix the cheeses. Moisten the rusks and arrange them on a serving plate
- Step two: Spoon the tomatoes (with their juices) over the rusks
- Step three: Top with the cheeses, season with the dried oregano and sprinkle with some tiny capers (optional)
- Step four: Drizzle a generous amount of your best extra virgin olive oil over the top and serve at once!
How to serve Dakos
Dakos can take different forms: most people know it served as a snack or a light meal, much like an Italian bruschetta, with barley rusks topped with tomatoes and crumbled cheese. People also enjoy dakos as a salad, with the rusks lightly moistened, then broken up or crumbled and tossed with the same toppings to make a very flavorful and satisfying salad. In this last version, the pieces of crunchy rusks are more evenly distributed.
Dakos should be served right away or the rusks will become soggy. You can, however, make the components of this dish ahead of time by grating the tomatoes and storing them in the refrigerator and mixing the cheeses together. Then you can just assemble everything at the last minute. Your guests might even enjoy helping top the rusks with all the delicious toppings themselves!
- 4 round, Cretan rusks, or, 8 smaller ones (or even, 4 slices of thick, toasted whole wheat bread)
- 4 medium, juicy tomatoes
- 4 oz. Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 oz. fresh Anthotiro (or Ricotta) cheese
- --- sea salt
- --- dried Greek oregano
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP. capers (or chopped olives)
- Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them into a bowl. If the tomatoes are too juicy, grate half of them and chop the other half finely.
- In a small bowl, mix together the two cheeses and set aside
- Run the rusks very quickly under cold water to lightly moisten them, then arrange them on a serving plate
- Drizzle the rusks with a little olive oil and then spoon the tomatoes (with their juices) over the rusks. Season with some sea salt.
- Top with the cheeses and sprinkle with some Greek oregano. If using capers (or, chopped olives) scatter a few over the cheese.
- Finish with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve at once!
A great dish to enjoy while we can still find sweet summer tomatoes!
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I made these to serve with drinks as an appetizer over the weekend and they disappeared quickly! The feta and capers go so nicely with the tomatoes on these rusks. Given their popularity, I will definitely keep this recipe on file and use again and again!
I am so glad you made this recipe, Steve and that it was a bit hit with your friends! A simple summer dish with great bold flavors, a small taste of the Greek cuisine!
Sounds like the perfect summer dish! Love these photos too.
Thank you so much Alice! I hope you try it while we still have good tomatoes available:)