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Dakos, Koukouvayia
1 large barley or whole wheat rusk 
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large tomato (or 2 smaller ones), chopped
1 tbsp mizithra, anthotyro or soft, mild feta
1 tsp oregano or marjoram
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
Sprinkle the rusk on both sides with water from the tap to soften it a bit. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil over it, then add the chopped tomato and the other tablespoon of oil, the cheese crumbled on top, the herbs and some salt and pepper.
If you like garlic, mix it in with the tomato (though most Cretans would not do this). This is a wonderful snack, filling and satisfying, crunchy, piquant and creamy at the same time.
You can also crumble a rusk into your "Greek salad": small chunks or ripe but firm tomatoes, thinly sliced green pepper, a little cubed cucumber, plenty sliced onion, a sprinkling of capers, a few black olives, a few sprigs of lemony purslane if you have it, shredded arugula of basil for bite, some parsley perhaps and either mild creamy feta or mizithra cheese. Douse with as much olive oil as you choose with some vinegar if you like it and sprinkle with a little oregano if you're not using basil. This combination is very similar to Andalucian gazpacho and the bread salads of Puglia and Tuscany.
When the ingredients are garden fresh it's impossible to tire of this salad, but if you encounter the ordinary run-of-the-mill taverna variety where the vegetables have been sliced in the morning and all the little extras are missing, you might as well forget it.
* When faced with a recipe that calls for juicy ripe tomatoes and your supermarket only has some pale imitations, while the farmer's stand has closed for the season, by all means use canned tomatoes. Adding a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes may intensify their flavor, though some are heavily salted and should be soaked in a cup of water first.
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