What is dakos?
Dakos is one of Crete's best-known simple dishes. A dry barley rusk is softened slightly and topped with ripe tomato, olive oil and Cretan cheese.
Ingredients for 2
- 2 large Cretan-style barley rusks
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 100 g soft mizithra or xinomizithra-style cheese
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Dried oregano
- A few olives
- Salt, if needed
Method
- Very lightly wet the barley rusks if they are extremely hard. Do not soak them until soft.
- Grate the tomatoes and spoon the pulp and juices over the rusks.
- Add the soft cheese on top.
- Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Finish with oregano and olives.
How should dakos taste?
The tomato should be ripe and juicy, the olive oil fragrant and the rusk still firm enough to provide texture.
What cheese can you use?
Fresh Cretan mizithra or xinomizithra is traditional. If you cannot find it, use a mild crumbly fresh cheese.
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