Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Mini Barley Flatbreads with Tomato Confit & Homemade Farmer's Cheese: Cretan Dakos, with a Difference, for the 5 Star Makeover Greek Mezze Challenge

This theme for this month's 5 Star Makeover Challenge - hosted as always by the lovely and talented Natasha of Five Star Foodie and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks - is Greek mezze, and it couldn't have come at a better time. I don't know about what it's like in your neck of the woods, but where I live it is hot and sticky as Hades, and light bites are just about all I want to make, or eat.

I decided to riff on a classic Cretan mezze, dakos. In its original form it's simply a barley rusk that's been rehydrated with water (or sometimes ouzo) topped with olive oil, grated tomato, fresh oregano,  and feta or aged myzritha cheese. But this is a makeover challenge, so I got a little fancy and made my own cheese, a tomato confit, and barley flatbread:

The bread cooks in a skillet and the confit cooks at 300 degrees F, so it didn't heat things up too badly. I followed this recipe for the flatbread, only instead of powdered milk and water I used 2 cups of whey that I had left over from making the cheese. I  loved how it turned out: nutty from toasted barley flour, soft and fluffy on the inside thanks to the yeast, and a lovely smell from the addition of dark sesame oil. It was even good the next day.
For my cheese, I heated 1/2 gallon of whole milk to 180 degrees, turned off the heat and added 1/4 cup white vinegar and a pinch of salt. After giving everything a good stir and allowing the milk to separate into curds and whey (about 10-15 minutes), I strained the curds into a cheesecloth (don't forget to save the whey!) and tied the cheesecloth/curd parcel to a wooden spoon, which I placed over a stockpot and allowed to drain, while refrigerated, for several hours. To plate, plop your cheese ball onto a serving dish, press it into a disk and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and fresh oregano:
But the real star of this dish was the confit. Ah, the confit ... when Poppa Trix took a bite he said "This is like tomato candy," and that pretty much sums it up.

I used 2 pints of orange and red grape tomatoes from the farmers market, and dumped them in a single layer onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. To this, I added 5 whole garlic cloves, several sprigs of fresh oregano, salt, pepper, a whisper of sugar, and enough olive oil to coat everything. 1 hour and 45 minutes later, after turing the tomatoes a couple of times, I had this:

Don't discard those brown bits! They are pure caramelized gold. Once this stuff cools to room temperature, it will take all of your willpower to not devour it immediately.

I loved my dakos with just the tomato confit and cheese, but it was also fabulous with a bed of arugula, as pictured in the top photo.

Make sure to check out the mezze feast on Friday in Lazaro's wrap up - I guarantee you'll come away with some ideas for your weekend eating!






27 comments:

  1. ooh, how delicious! greek food is particularly awesome in the summer :) love the barley flour in the flatbread! and i really need to get on making my own cheese...

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  2. The real star of this dish is you! Great recipe and I want to make this cheese. I made my first ricotta not too long ago and was so happy...will let you know how it turns out... I am now a follower!

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  3. I love how you made every component of this dish. That flatbread looks fantastic -- whey is amazing in flatbread. I have some whey in the fridge (leftover from making labneh) and I was wondering what kind of bread to make with it...totally inspired now. :)

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  4. Wow you made the bread AND the cheese? Wow! It looks perfect. I would like this for lunch right now.

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  5. This is so DELICIOUS! I really love the click of those roasted tomatoes...simply amazing!

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  6. This sounds delicious and I love that you made your own cheese. I've been wanting to take a cheesemaking class back home but my schedule never works with the class. You learn to make about 6 varieties. I can't wait to take it.

    Thanks for sharing this fun creation.

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  7. Just wow on all three parts: the flatbreads looks so wonderful, I adore any at home easy cheese recipe and it turned out beautiful; and the confit look so beautiful like jewels. A meze a would devour whole.

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  8. Wow...I'm at a loss for words. This is on my last supper list...for sure.

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  9. I think you won this challenge for sure!! This is not your average flatbread.

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  10. This all looks so beautiful and tasty, Trix! All of my favorite things too! I'm whey impressed with you making both the bread and the cheese for this makeover challenge. I'd definitely eat this! (Now please.)

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  11. Tomato candy and homemade flatbread. How wonderful. I wish we could all get together with our dishes and eat with a little ouzo.

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  12. I've never had dakos but if the real thing is anything as flavorful as yours (though I doubt it), I'll take 3 plates of these please. Skillet-cooked bread, homemade cheese and tomato candy...oh Trix, I might have just died and landed in Greece on another planet - a more beautiful and fantastical one.

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  13. I'm so new to Greek cuisine and it's so great to get to see all different kinds of Greek meze! The flatbread looks really great and roasted tomatoes..hmmm..sound delicious!

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  14. I have reserves of pure caramelized gold. You are a kitchen force of nature Trix. Elegant, beautiful and flavor packed.

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  15. Oh I could eat this everyday, hot or cold. We often eat meze as dinner and your Dakos would make a great addition. I love all your photos but the first roasted tomato one made my heart flutter:) Love, love this!

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  16. I am loving the barley cakes. They are classics from ancient Greece! Crazy about the tomatoes too and you outdid yourself with the cheese. ALtogether a splendid rise to the challenge... Ive got to try this mix!

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  17. Dakos was the first bite I had on Crete and fell in love with it! So great on barley flat breads! I was just looking for ideas for my leftover barley flour and this would be just perfect to make!

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  18. Making cheese is so much fun! I love that you made every component yourself (using the whey from the cheese in the bread was a brilliant conservation of extra flavor). The tomatoes are beautiful as well. This is a great addition to any meze platter.

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  19. Wow, homemade cheese! These flatbreads look so fresh and delicious--the perfect light bite.

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  20. These look really, really delicious. And, I'm in the same boat as far as the weather and its effect on my urge to cook--last night's dinner was a piece of fruit.

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  21. Homemade cheese atop puffy barley cakes with bites of tomato candy - I'm dying here!! You are a star, Trix!

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  22. Had to retype my comment (lost internet for a moment-common here); well, I adore these flatbreads, the cheese and confit. I could eat those every day for a week (at least). Bravo!!!!

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  23. What a masterpiece! Your cheese looks perfect, and I am loving these little flatbreads...an absolute delight!

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  24. Love! And you made your own cheese. Way to go!

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  25. From that fluffy flatbread to the tomato candy, this is a real winner! And that you made the cheese...Wow. Awesome makeover!
    LL

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  26. The phrase "sometimes ouzo" just popped off the page. I'm so predictable. GREG

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  27. Wow! Loving all of the authentic flavors on this flatbread. I could eat it all day!

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