Dakos 🥗 Cretan Barley Rusk 🇬🇷 (Koukouvagia)

Name: Dakos 🥗 Cretan Barley Rusk 🇬🇷 (Koukouvagia)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Balkan
Ingredients: 🫓 Barley rusks (paximadia), halved: 2 large (≈120 g / 4.2 oz); 💧 Water for moistening rusks: 60–90 ml (4–6 tbsp / 2–3 fl oz); 🍅 Very ripe tomatoes, small dice: 350 g (2½ cups / 12.3 oz); 🧀 Feta (or xinomizithra), crumbled: 120 g (¾ cup / 4.2 oz); 🫒 Extra-virgin olive oil: 45 ml (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz); 🍇 Kalamata olives, pitted & sliced: 40 g (¼ cup / 1.4 oz); 🌿 Capers, rinsed: 8 g (1 tbsp / 0.28 oz); 🍇 Red wine vinegar: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz); 🌿 Dried oregano: 1 tsp (1 g / 0.04 oz); 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈2–3 g / ½ tsp); ⚫ Black pepper: ¼–½ tsp (0.5–1 g / 0.02–0.04 oz); 🌿 Fresh basil or thyme, torn (optional): a few leaves

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Image for recipe: Dakos 🥗 Cretan Barley Rusk 🇬🇷 (Koukouvagia)

Description

Juicy ripe tomatoes over barley rusks soaked just enough, crowned with feta, capers, olives, and a generous pour of olive oil — crisp, succulent, sun-drenched. 🍅🫒

Hook: Soak, pile, drizzle — taverna-fresh salad in 10 minutes with bakery crunch. ⚡

Ingredients

🫓 Barley rusks (paximadia), halved: 2 large (≈120 g / 4.2 oz)
💧 Water for moistening rusks: 60–90 ml (4–6 tbsp / 2–3 fl oz)
🍅 Very ripe tomatoes, small dice: 350 g (2½ cups / 12.3 oz)
🧀 Feta (or xinomizithra), crumbled: 120 g (¾ cup / 4.2 oz)
🫒 Extra-virgin olive oil: 45 ml (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
🍇 Kalamata olives, pitted & sliced: 40 g (¼ cup / 1.4 oz)
🌿 Capers, rinsed: 8 g (1 tbsp / 0.28 oz)
🍇 Red wine vinegar: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
🌿 Dried oregano: 1 tsp (1 g / 0.04 oz)
🧂 Salt: to taste (≈2–3 g / ½ tsp)
⚫ Black pepper: ¼–½ tsp (0.5–1 g / 0.02–0.04 oz)
🌿 Fresh basil or thyme, torn (optional): a few leaves

Preparation

1️⃣ Moisten rusks: Sprinkle 💧 water evenly over the cut sides until lightly damp; rest 3–5 min so centers soften but edges stay crisp.
2️⃣ Tomato mix: Toss 🍅 tomatoes with 🫒 1 tbsp oil, 🍇 vinegar, 🌿 oregano, a pinch of 🧂 and ⚫.
3️⃣ Assemble: Set rusks on plates. Spoon tomato mix with its juices on top. Add 🧀 feta, 🫒 remaining oil, 🌿 capers, 🍇 olives, and herbs if using.
4️⃣ Serve: Crack more ⚫ pepper; taste for 🧂 salt. Eat immediately while rusks are crisp-tender.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 10 min
⏳ Total: 10 min

Nutritional Value

🔋 Energy: ~430 kcal
💪 Protein: ~12 g
🧈 Fat: ~28 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: ~34 g
🧂 Sodium: ~920 mg

Advice

Moisten rusks sparingly — you want a crisp rim with a tender center. Use very ripe tomatoes so their juices soak in and season the base.

Why it works

Barley rusks act like edible sponges: light hydration + tomato juices + olive oil create a savory emulsion that softens the crumb while keeping the crust snappy.

Twist

Add cucumber dice for extra crunch or swap feta for creamy xinomizithra for a softer, tangier finish.

Status

Island simple, flavor huge — Cretan dakos that tastes like summer on a plate. #grannyzen #greeksalad 🍅🫒

Menu

Granny Zen Galaxy Kitchen 🚀