How can a hard, double baked Rusk or Paximadia be seen as a Greek delicacy?

Paximadia (pahx-ee-MAH-dee-ah), also known as barley rusks, are an ancient twice baked bread that originated from the Greek island of Crete… and there’s only one country in the world, where something so humble, like the traditional hard, double-baked rusk, is considered a delicacy! This country is of course Greece!

At first glance, they look like nothing more than slices of stale bread. So it can be surprising to learn that paximadia (or rusks), once a peasant food found in the poor areas of Greece, are now greatly loved all over the country, with many different types available for purchase: from large rustic looking thick slices to small bite-sized “croutons.”

These twice-baked rusks that have been a staple in Greece since antiquity, have historically made with barley flour.  Barley flour was used as it has much less gluten than wheat and is much darker in colour, giving rusks their characteristic flavour and look, twice baking technique was important, even necessary, to keep bread longer without it spoiling.

Greek Rusks are perfect for any occasion

Paximadi or Rusks come in all shapes and forms depending on their place of origin and can be deliciously combined with fresh or baked vegetables, almost all the varieties of Greek cheese, olive spreads, olive oil, honey or even, minced meat, pastrami, ham, raisins, anchovy, caper or anything else you can imagine!

Rusks can also play the role of croutons in leafy salads, they can thicken soups, soften beef patties (biftekia) or even help create beautiful crusts for pan-fried meats. Their appeal lies not only in their versatility or in their complexity of flavour and texture, but also in their ability to soak up a lot of liquid.

The ability for the rusk to soak up water and not become too soggy is particularly perfect for the most traditional way of eating these double baked morels or yumminess!  While they serve as a tasty substitute for bread to eat with lunch, dinner or as a snack with a hunk of cheese, a sliced tomato and a bit of wine, my favourite way to eat paximadia is in a bread salad from Crete called Dakos.

To make Dakos, dampen a rusk (our Continental Rusks would be perfect) in water or wine, break it into bite-sized chunks, and place the chunks on a plate. Onto the paximadia, heap chopped tomatoes, red onions and feta. Top the lot with olive oil, capers and olives, perhaps even some chopped garlic and most definitely sea salt, pepper and oregano and you have Dakos. So delicious…thinking of it now makes my mouth water!

Our Country Style Rusks made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil are perfect with Feta cheese or cream cheese as they have a unique and light texture and taste with the aroma and taste of Cretan olive oil and are a perfect match with a glass of wine.  Whilst our Wholemeal sugar free rusks can be a part of your breakfast as a sandwich, a sweet and savoury meal and are ideal as a healthy snack and at the other end of the spectrum, our Olive Oil Sweet Baked Rusks are hand made with a distinctive olive oil flavour and a hint of orange and cinnamon.

Need some inspiration!? Check out my Rusk Recipe here.