Cretan Dakos (Barley Rusk Salad with Tomato and Feta)
A crunchy Cretan rusk softened with grated tomato and olive oil, topped with salty feta, olives and oregano.
Made with Basic vinaigrette. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time15 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.64 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Grate the tomato halves on the coarse side of a box grater into a bowl, discarding the skins. Season with a pinch of salt.
- 2
Quickly run each rusk under the cold tap for 2 to 3 seconds to dampen the surface only. Do not soak them. Place one on each plate.
- 3
Spoon the grated tomato generously over each rusk, letting the juices soak in.
- 4
Drizzle over your ready made basic vinaigrette (see the base recipe), 1 tablespoon on each rusk.
- 5
Top with the crumbled feta, olives and capers, and finish with the oregano. Leave for 5 minutes so the rusk softens a little, then serve.
5 min
Tips
- Dampen the rusks only briefly. They should be crunchy in the middle and soft outside.
- Use fully ripe tomatoes. In winter, tinned chopped tomatoes drained a little are a decent stand in.
- Mizithra, a fresh Cretan cheese, is traditional. Feta is the easy UK swap.
Storing and freezing
Assemble just before serving as the rusk turns soggy. The grated tomato keeps 1 day in the fridge.
Questions
Where do I buy barley rusks?
Look in Greek or Mediterranean shops or online for dakos or ntakos. If you cannot find them, use hard sourdough or wholemeal rusks or twice baked bread.
Can I make dakos gluten free?
Barley rusks contain gluten. For a gluten free version, use thick slices of gluten free bread dried in a low oven until rock hard.
Is it vegetarian?
It can be, if your feta is made with vegetarian rennet, so check the label. It is not vegan because of the cheese.
More made with basic vinaigrette
Insalata di Fagiolini e Patate (Ligurian Green Bean and Potato Salad)
GFDFEFFrisée aux Lardons (Lyonnaise Salad with Poached Egg)
GFDFNFSalade Piémontaise (French Potato Salad with Ham, Egg and Gherkins)
GFDFNFSalade de Chèvre Chaud (French Warm Goat's Cheese Salad)
EFNFNOGDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
