Greek · Lunch · Snack
Dakos (Cretan Barley Rusk Salad)
Ντάκος
Crunchy Cretan barley rusks softened with juicy grated tomato, crumbled feta, oregano and a thread of good olive oil. It is a bright, rustic no-cook meze that tastes of a Greek summer.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- No cooking
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 52% · Fat 35% · Protein 13%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 4 large rounds200 gCretan barley rusks (paximadia)
- 1/4 cup60 gWater, for moistening the rusks
- 4 medium480 gRipe tomatoes
- 2/3 cup crumbled100 gFeta cheese
- 2 tbsp27 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 1 tspDried oregano
- 1/4 tspSalt
- 1 pinchBlack pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tbsp9 gCapers, drained (optional)
- 8 olives30 gKalamata olives (optional)
Steps
- 1
Halve the tomatoes and grate the cut sides on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl, discarding the skins.
- 2
Tip the grated tomato into a sieve over a second bowl and let it drain for 5 minutes, keeping the juice.
- 3
Place the rusks on a plate, rough side up.
- 4
Sprinkle the rusks evenly with the water and a few spoonfuls of the tomato juice so they soften slightly but stay crisp underneath.
- 5
Season the drained tomato pulp with the salt and pepper.
- 6
Spoon the tomato pulp over the rusks, spreading it to the edges.
- 7
Crumble the feta over the tomato.
- 8
Scatter over the capers and olives, if using.
- 9
Sprinkle with the dried oregano, crumbling it between your fingers.
- 10
Drizzle each rusk with the olive oil.
- 11
Let stand for 5 minutes so the rusks absorb the juices, then serve.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, replace the feta with a crumbled plant-based feta-style cheese labelled vegan, and keep everything else the same.
- If you can't find Cretan barley rusks, use thick slices of stale whole-grain or sourdough bread toasted in a low oven until fully crisp.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free crispbreads or rusks labelled gluten-free in place of the barley rusks, since barley contains gluten.
- For a lighter plate, use a little less feta and olive oil and add extra capers or chopped fresh herbs for flavor.
Storage
Dakos is best eaten fresh, as the rusks turn soggy once topped; if you have leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within a day, and do not freeze. Leftover drained tomato pulp keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Make ahead
You can grate and drain the tomatoes up to a day ahead and keep the pulp and juice covered in the fridge. Moisten and assemble the rusks just before serving so they stay crisp underneath.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenMilk
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (218 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 335 kcal | 154 kcal |
| Protein | 11.1 g | 5.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44.1 g | 20.2 g |
| of which sugars | 3.2 g | 1.5 g |
| Fiber | 5.3 g | 2.4 g |
| Fat | 13.5 g | 6.2 g |
| of which saturated | 4.5 g | 2.1 g |
| Sodium | 856 mg | 393 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
