Thank goodness my garden is churning out tomatoes because all I want for lunch these days is dakos. That’s the Cretan rendition of what Italians call bruschetta. In Crete they use rock-hard rusks, first softening them in water, then drenching them in olive oil and heaping them with grated tomato and feta. No wonder the Cretans live forever. In my view, this is just about the tastiest and most wholesome quick lunch you can make.
You can buy barley rusks, known as paximadia, at markets that cater to Greeks, or purchase them online. You can also make your own with Diane Kochilas’s recipe. My husband, the in-house baker, makes ours, using a part whole-grain dough that he forms into bagel-like rings and bakes. After they cool, he halves them horizontally and dries them out in a very low oven overnight. They keep for months. You can use toast from a dense, day-old loaf but it’s not quite the same experience.
In times past, Cretan shepherds packed rusks when they left home with their flocks for long periods. Bread wouldn’t last, but the rusks were light, nutritious and easily revived with a quick dunk in water.
The traditional topping is extra virgin olive oil (lots), grated tomato and either crumbled feta or grated manouri. As you’ll see in my video, I forgot a key ingredient: dried Greek oregano always goes on top.
I add a splash of vinegar to the tomatoes, and sometimes grated garlic. Capers are optional but the oregano is not.
Cretan Rusks with Grated Tomato and Feta
You hardly need a recipe; amounts are to taste. Just make sure your tomatoes are ripe and you aren’t stingy with the olive oil.
Cretan barley rusks (paximadia) or toasted day-old levain
Extra virgin olive oil
Vine-ripe tomatoes
Sea salt
Red wine vinegar
Greek feta
Capers, rinsed
Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Dried Greek oregano
Prepare a bowl of lightly salted water. One at a time, dip the rusks into the water for a few seconds on both sides, then let any excess water drip off. With toasted levain, you can omit this step.
Arrange the rusks on a serving platter and drizzle generously with olive oil. Halve the tomatoes. Grate the cut side on the coarse holes of a box grater until only the skin remains in your hand; discard the skin. Put the grated tomato in a bowl; season with salt and a splash of vinegar.
Spoon the tomato and any juices over the rusks, spreading the tomato evenly. Top with crumbled feta, as much as you like. Scatter capers and olives over the surface, then crumble dried oregano over everything. Drizzle liberally with more olive oil. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to soften before serving.