Lunch · 15 min · greek

Dakos (Cretan Barley Rusk Salad)

If you like barley rusks, you’ll love this Greek lunch — 15 minutes from craving to table.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 4 large Barley rusks
• 4 large Ripe tomatoes
• 8 oz Mizithra or feta
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
• 2 tbsp Capers
• 2 tsp Dried oregano
• 1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Sea salt

Steps

1. Rub each rusk with a cut tomato half, then drizzle with the vinegar — this first wetting softens the rock-hard rusk just enough to bite without shattering.
2. Grate the tomatoes on the coarse grater straight over the rusks, skins discarded. Fresh-grated tomato is the soul of dakos; diced tomato is a different dish.
3. Salt the tomato layer, then crumble the mizithra generously over the top — the cheese should be a thick, white blanket, not a garnish.
4. Scatter the olives and capers, dust with oregano, and finish with a slow, generous pour of olive oil. The oil pools in the tomato juices and softens the rusk from above while the vinegar works from below.
5. Wait 5 minutes — no more, no less — then eat. The rusk should yield to the teeth but still have backbone.

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