Crispy Cretan Feta Rusks (Print Version)
Crunchy barley rusks with feta, tomato and herbs for a classic Cretan meze bite.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 8 Cretan barley rusks (paximadia)
02 - ⅓ cup plus 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ Topping
03 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled
04 - 7 oz ripe tomatoes, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
06 - 1 small red onion, finely sliced
07 - 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
08 - 1 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
02 - Lightly brush each barley rusk with olive oil using a pastry brush. Arrange on a baking tray and bake for 5 to 8 minutes until golden, crisp, and fragrant.
03 - While the rusks toast, combine the diced tomatoes, half of the chopped oregano, and a pinch of black pepper in a mixing bowl. Toss gently to combine.
04 - Remove the rusks from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the tray.
05 - Spoon the tomato mixture evenly over each rusk. Layer generously with crumbled feta cheese.
06 - Top with sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, capers if desired, and the remaining fresh oregano.
07 - Finish each rusk with a light drizzle of olive oil and an extra crack of black pepper. Serve immediately while still crisp.
# Handy Tips:
01 -
- The contrast of bone dry rusks soaked in good olive oil against juicy ripe tomatoes is the kind of simple magic that ruins you for complicated appetizers.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes and looks like something you would pay too much for at a wine bar.
02 -
- Do not skip the olive oil brushing step thinking it is optional, because untreated rusks are so hard they can genuinely hurt your teeth and the oil is what transforms them into something edible and luxurious.
- If your tomatoes are out of season and pale, dice them a little finer and let them sit with a tiny pinch of salt for ten minutes, which pulls out flavor they did not even know they had.
03 -
- Crumble the feta with your fingers rather than grating it because the irregular, jagged pieces hold their shape better and create more interesting texture on the rusk.
- Assemble everything on the rusks no more than five minutes before eating, or set out the components separately and let people build their own so nothing goes soggy while waiting.