Flavours of Crete-II

We will be  exploring the region's food and produce today.

Grapevines in a farm house in Crete, Greece

In my many travels to Greece, I have realized one crucial thing - Greek people, more so in small towns and villages, eat fresh and what's in season. There are a lot of vegetables and fruits used, lots of legumes consumed and they seem to eat more poultry (home grown on individual farms) and fish (in coastal regions)  compared to red meat. I was told by several locals in Crete that meat is mainly consumed during special events or occasions. The one thing that is consumed a lot on daily basis is Olive oil. And I am not exaggerating when I say a LOT.  Even with all that oil, the dishes don't taste greasy or  heavy. They taste great and they smell great ( I may be persuaded eventually to get a little bit more generous when I pour Olive oil on my salad next time).

Overall, I am happy that their food is not over seasoned. Each ingredient plays a prominent role and your tastebuds know and appreciate it.

Marjoram

Herbs like Oregano, Dill, Parsley, Marjoram, Rosemary etc. are used in everyday cooking. Cinnamon is used to flavour main courses as well as desserts. Yet another star ingredient that the Greeks love and swear by is honey. They love to use it generously.
During my recent trip to Greece, I picked up quite a lot of interesting herbs and spices.  I also bought barley rusks specially to make Dakos.

So, what are DAKOS/ NTAKOS?
Dakos are delicious Greek starters that are extremely easy to make and taste great with wine. It is great as a party snack and can be modified from the original recipe based on availability of ingredients.
Over the years, I have tried two or three versions all cooked by Greek grandmoms. Today, I am going to share with you one version that I have tried and served at my parties.

DAKOS - 4 Dakos

Ingredients

Barley rusks (or any other type that is available)
3 big tomatoes
Dried Oregano
Salt
Mizithra Cheese/ Feta/ Goat cheese

Method

Step 1

If you have access to Barley rusks, you are right on track. If you can't find Barley rusks, try using other rusks. Whatever you choose, they have to be crunchy when you buy them.

Step 2
Now, take 4 of these rusks( Please look at my picture to understand the size of each rusk so that you can increase or decrease the quantity of other ingredients accordingly). Sprinkle cold water on top of them to make them soft. The idea is to moisturize them, not soak them.

Step 3
Take three big tomatoes and grate them in a bowl. Add a two teaspoon of dried oregano and salt (to taste) and mix (but don't over-mix) with a spoon.

Step 4
Now, top the oiled rusks with this tomato mix.

Step 5
Top it with fresh Mizithra.

I am well aware that finding Mizithra is difficult and close to impossible for most, so here's my recommendation:
You can easily replace Mizithra with Feta but if you are using Feta, please don't add salt because it can get too salty.  If you are adding Goat's cheese (which is a better option in my opinion), add a pinch of salt and crumble the cheese in a bowl before putting it on the rusk.

Step 6
Serve. If you have any of the tomato-oregano mix left, refrigerate it. You can use it as a pasta sauce base.

Variations: One version I tasted had finely chopped Kalamata olives and one had finely ground pepper. If you are trying out with olives, watch the salt you add. Olives available in supermarkets typically are preserved in vinegar or olive oil with addition of salt. So wash them well before slicing and adding on top of your cheese.

Now that we have snacked, let me familiarize you with some of the traditional  specialties that you can find in Crete. And since nothing quite says it like pictures, here's a feast for your eyes!

Let me end this article by saying that any new cuisine at first might look intimidating more so when you want to try it for the very first time.  You might be worried that you might not like the flavours but, if so many people across the world love a cuisine, there has to be something special about it! So, let go of your inhibitions and let your taste buds decide. I am sure you won't be disappointed at the end. I hope you enjoyed reading this two-part series. Thank you!