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Cretan Salad in a black bowl with rusks and cheese on the side.
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5 from 1 vote

Traditional Cretan Salad

The Cretan Salad is a dish that originates from the Greek island of Crete. It is a simple salad made hearty with the addition of barley rusks and cheese.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Standing Time15 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Easy, vegetarian
Servings: 6 as a side
Calories: 250kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 grams truss tomatoes (approximately 3 medium, 17.64oz)
  • 300 grams Lebanese cucumbers (approximately 3 small, 10.58oz)
  • 100 grams green capsicum (bell pepper) (approximately 1 small, 3.53oz)
  • 100 grams small red onion (approximately 1 small, 3.53oz)
  • 100 grams barley rusks 1 (approximately 4 small, 3.53oz)
  • 100 grams Anthotyro cheese 2 (approximately ½ cup, 3.53oz)
  • cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Wash all the vegetables remove the cores, tops and bottoms. Then cut the tomatoes into large chunks, the cucumbers in rounds and the green capsicum and onion into thin wedges. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • If your barley rusks are hard then run them under cold running water to soften first.
  • Break the barley rusks into medium pieces and coarsely grate or crumble the anthotyro cheese on top of the vegetables.
  • Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano, season with salt and pepper. Toss until combined, taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
  • Arrange in a salad bowl and chill for 15-30 minutes then serve.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Barley rusks are available from Greek delicatessens you can substitute with bagel chips or make your own using a wholemeal sourdough.
To do this cut your bread into medium slices then toast it in the oven at a low 135°C (275°F) for about 45-60 minutes, tossing it every now and then to help it dry evenly
Note 2: Again you should be able to find from any good Greek deli or you can substitute with coarsley grated fresh haloumi or Italian pecorino cheese or fresh mozarella. 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 1mg