Did you ever order a “Cretan Dakos”?
Greece is known for its delicious food, healthy dishes and lots of salads. One of the dishes you can usually find on the tavern menu, under “salads”, is the “dakos”. It is a traditional salad, from the island of Crete. But even if you visit other parts of Greece, you will now find the “dakos” on nearly every menu in Greece!
Omilo students love to visit Greek taverns and try different dishes, during their Language Holiday in Greece.
The dakos is a salad everybody usually loves and you can order it as an appetizer, as a side dish or it is also perfect for a light lunch.
As with most dishes in Mediterranean cuisine, the magic lies in the quality of the ingredients.
The recipe itself is quick and easy , but for the real Greek taste, you’ll want to use fresh, organic tomatoes and excellent olive oil.
Trust us, they make all the difference!
What’s the origin of the word dakos?
The word “dakos” (ντάκος) has its roots in the Cretan dialect and traditionally refers to a type of barley rusk, which forms the base of the dish.
The use of rusks in Cretan cuisine dates back to ancient times, when bread was baked only once every few days, and drying it into rusks helped preserve it longer.
Over time, this humble ingredient was transformed into a beloved dish by simply adding fresh, local toppings, so the dakos was born!
A little secret from the tavern table…
When your dakos is topped with creamy feta, sprinkled with oregano, and swimming in golden olive oil, don’t be surprised if you end up licking your fingers!
(and it’s acceptable in Greek taverns! )
Ready to prepare a dakos yourself?
Here is our recipe;
Ingredients:
• 2 large paximadi (rusk)
• 1 large tomato
• 100-gram feta cheese (tough and salty) [you can use the white cheese of your choice]
• A little bit of chopped onion
• caper
• oregano
• olive oil
• Olives
• [Optional: vinegar, parsley]
Instructions:
1. Wet the paximadi slightly (rusk)
2. Grate tomato and feta cheese (or chop)
3. Place paximadi on a plate. Pour olive oil, add tomato and on top feta cheese
4. Put on top the onion, decorate with capers and olive. Sprinkle with oregano.
Καλή όρεξη – Enjoy your meal 🙂
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In recent years, it has become quite popular in Greece ( especially in trendy taverns and restaurants) to give traditional dishes a creative twist and present them in more fancy or artistic ways.
Of course, this adds a fun and modern touch to classic recipes, and it’s always nice to see some culinary creativity. But be prepared, design comes at a price! 🙂
So don’t be surprised if that beautifully creation costs a bit more than the humble original.
In the photo, you can see a playful variation of dakos, made with the exact same ingredients, but t styled to look like a birthday cake, or as we say in Greek, a “τούρτα” (tourta)!
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Of course, every region in Greece has its own culinary treasures and local specialties, and dishes you can find everywhere!
The easiest Greek dish to make yourself at home, anywhere in the world, is most likely TZATZIKI!
If you never made it yourself, then click here and surprise your loved ones! (if they like garlic!)
Curious to try something unique from the island of Syros?
Then don’t miss out on one of its most beloved traditional dishes —> a simple yet delicious parsley-based recipe that’s full of flavor and local character.
Click here to learn how to make the Syros parsley dish.
it’s easy to prepare and pairs perfectly with dakos for a fresh, light, and very Greek meal!
