Recipe: Delicious Dakos
I said Dakos, not Tacos. Dakos is a delectable Greek cousin of Bruschetta. It originates from the island of Crete and is a healthy yet fulfilling snack or appetizer. The “toast” for Dakos are actually barley rusks. These aren’t easy to find outside of Greece but you can order a bag of them here. These dried pieces of barley bread are rock hard and need to be soaked in some water or crushed tomatoes or they are completely inedible. But prepared correctly, they are a delicious, fiber and nutrient-rich whole food that makes an awesome appetizer or easy snack to serve with some chilled rosé or cocktails.
Dakos that I made this summer in Antiparos and served for aperitif.
I first discovered Dakos when my sister Hannah and I did a “Sisters do Amazing Things Trip” to Greece in 2018. One of our stops on the way was the beautiful island of Crete. We had taken a highspeed ferry from Santorini and arrived in Heraklion late in the evening. After a brief hiccup with a flat tire on our rental car, we finally hit the road to the Venitian Port of Chania but a bit later than we expected. It was late and we were starving. Hannah used Google Maps to find a restaurant alongside the road and we pulled off and discovered the charming Dolphin Restaurant. As we approached, we realized that the restaurant was completely empty but when we peeked into the kitchen we saw a dashing Cretan chef still in the kitchen. Like two little mice we asked, “are you still open?” The Chef and owner, Niko warmly welcomed us and cooked us a delicious dinner while his 6 year old nephew flirted with us and kept us company. He also introduced us to our first taste of authentic Dakos. My recipe is a takeoff on his more authentic version.
Cat’s Delicious Dakos
Ingredients
2 cups tomato purée
3 tbsp water
2 medium summer tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup feta or Xynomizithra cheese
2 tbsp capers
Greek olive oil
Greek oregano
sea salt to taste
Directions
Start by mixing 2 cups of your tomato purée with about 2 tbsp of olive oil, some oregano, a pinch of salt and the water in a glass or bowl. You’re looking for a somewhat watery, seasoned mixture that you’ll spoon over the rusks to soften them. You can make this in advance but you’ll want to soak the rusks for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Dice the tomatoes and season them with sea salt, oregano and olive oil. When you’re ready to assemble your dakos, break the soaked rusks into smaller pieces, spoon the tomato mixture on top and cover with feta cheese, and capers. Enjoy!
