Dakos

Dakos is a Cretan starter made from dried barley bread, tomato, cheese and olive oil. Its simplicity made it a practical dish that could be prepared with ingredients that were almost always at hand.

History

Dakos, also called ntakos or koukouvagia, comes from the island of Crete. Its base is paximadi, a hard barley rusk that kept for a long time and was softened with water or olive oil before eating. For this reason it was a common food for shepherds and fishermen, who could carry it on their journeys without it spoiling.

Traditionally the dish is made with fresh tomato, grated or chopped, goat's cheese such as mizithra, a drizzle of olive oil and dried oregano. Over time it spread to other parts of the island and, later, to tourist restaurants across Greece, where feta often takes the place of mizithra.

Culture

In Crete dakos is part of everyday cooking and of the mezedes served before a main meal. Local variations exist across the island: in the east the dish is known as kouloukopsomo, and many households add capers, olives or peppers. Today it is common in tavernas and restaurants, and in tourist areas it is offered with more expensive ingredients such as meat, showing how a humble dish has adapted to new tastes.

Its resemblance to the Catalan pa amb tomàquet or the Italian frisella helps place dakos within a family of Mediterranean dishes built on toasted bread and tomato.

Trivia