• Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g) - Greek Flavours
  • Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g) - Greek Flavours
  • Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g) - Greek Flavours
  • Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g) - Greek Flavours
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Gi tou Notou

Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g)

Cretan Barley Dakos Paximadi — The Everyday Bread of the Cretan Diet (400g)
€5,90 EUR
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  • CreteCrete
  • CreteVegan

Product Description

Wholegrain barley from Crete, baked twice. The foundation of dakos is a staple of one of the world's most studied diets.

 

Barley Cretan Dakos Paximadi by Gi Tou Notou is made from wholegrain barley flour (73%), leavened with natural wheat sourdough, finished with extra virgin olive oil and barley malt. The double-baking process — the defining technique behind the paximadi — removes virtually all moisture, producing a shelf-stable rusk that is harder and more complex than industrial bread, and significantly closer to what Cretan households have kept in the pantry for centuries. Produced in Crete, in the same agricultural environment where the Cretan Diet has been documented as a nutritional model since the Seven Countries Study of the 1960s.

The texture is dense and satisfying. Dry straight from the pack, it softens in seconds with water or a spoonful of tomato, holding its structure without collapsing. The flavour is earthy and faintly malty, with a slight nuttiness from the wholegrain barley. There is no sweetness, no added flavouring: what you taste is grain, olive oil, and fermentation.

With 13.8g of fibre per 100g and 13.1g of plant protein, this is one of the most nutritionally dense bread alternatives available. The high fibre content slows carbohydrate absorption, contributing to sustained energy rather than a glycaemic spike. It is fully vegan and contains no additives, no preservatives, and no refined flour. For anyone building a Mediterranean routine around whole grains and clean ingredients, the Cretan paximadi is not a novelty — it is the base.

 

How to use it

  • Classic dakos salad: moisten with cold water, top with grated ripe tomato, crumbled feta, Kalamata olives, and a pour of good EVOO. Lunch in four minutes.
  • Open-sandwich base: use in place of bread for any spread, dip, or topping — tzatziki, fava, taramosalata, hummus. Holds toppings far better than sliced bread.
  • Crumbled into salads: break into irregular pieces over a Greek salad or grain bowl for texture and substance.
  • With cheese and honey: pair with a sharp aged Greek cheese — Graviera, aged Kefalograviera — and a drizzle of thyme honey. A clean, satisfying snack with strong nutritional credentials.
  • Soaked briefly in broth as the base of a light grain soup, in the tradition of the Cretan paximada preparation.

Nutritional Components

The Cretan rusk: a bread format with a nutritional profile that most bread cannot match.

Barley paximadi is one of the oldest documented foods of the Cretan diet. What makes it nutritionally distinct is the combination: wholegrain barley at 73%, natural sourdough fermentation, extra virgin olive oil baked into the dough, and double baking with no industrial additives. The result is a shelf-stable product with a fibre and protein content that few bread alternatives reach.

Why wholegrain barley makes a difference:

  • Dietary fibre (13.8g per 100g): one of the highest fibre values in any bread-format product. Barley beta-glucan is a soluble fibre specifically associated with slower glucose absorption and a more sustained satiety response.
  • Plant protein (13.1g per 100g): a meaningful protein contribution for a grain product, supporting the use of dakos as a complete light meal rather than a snack or side.
  • Low in sugars (1.7g per 100g): reflects the absence of refined flour and added sugars. Carbohydrate content is predominantly complex, from the wholegrain barley.
  • EVOO in the dough: extra virgin olive oil is incorporated during baking, contributing healthy monounsaturated fats directly to the base product — not a surface coating.
  • Vegan and additive-free: no preservatives, no colourings, no emulsifiers. The ingredient list is exactly what traditional paximadi has always contained.

Nutritional values per 100g:

  • Energy: 1721 kJ / 411 kcal
  • Fat: 3.4g — of which saturates: 0.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 75.2g — of which sugars: 1.7g
  • Fibre: 13.8g
  • Protein: 13.1g
  • Salt: 1.8g

Ingredients: wholegrain barley flour 73%, leaven (wheat flour, water), extra virgin olive oil, barley malt, yeast, salt.

Contains gluten (wheat in the leaven). Suitable for vegans. No artificial additives or preservatives.

Useful Information

Storage guide: keeping the paximadi crisp and pantry-ready.

Double-baked and fully dried, barley paximadi is one of the most naturally shelf-stable bread products you can keep. Its very low moisture content is what protects it — the main risk is not spoilage but absorption of ambient humidity, which softens the rusk prematurely. Store correctly, and it remains in perfect condition for months.

How to store it correctly:

  • Cool, dry place: a pantry or kitchen cupboard away from steam and heat. No refrigeration required or recommended.
  • Reseal after opening: fold and clip the original bag tightly, or transfer to a dry airtight container after first use.
  • Away from strong odours: wholegrain barley absorbs ambient smells readily. Avoid storing near spices, coffee, or cleaning products.

Freshness timeline:

  • Unopened: up to 8 months from production. The double-baking process ensures long shelf stability with no preservatives.
  • After opening: best consumed within 4–6 weeks. Reseal tightly after each use to maintain crispness.
  • Once moistened for serving: consume immediately. The rusk softens quickly once wet and does not keep after preparation.

Product details:

  • Format: whole rusks, double-baked, ready to use
  • Net weight: 400g
  • Origin: Crete, Greece
  • Brand: Gi Tou Notou
  • Shelf life: 8 months
  • Allergens: contains gluten (wheat flour in the leaven)
  • Dietary: suitable for vegans. No artificial additives, preservatives, or colourings.

The Cretan double-bake.

Paximadi is not bread dried out — it is bread baked twice by design. The first bake sets the loaf; the second, at a lower temperature, removes the residual moisture completely. This is an ancient Cretan technique developed for long preservation without any additives, allowing farmers, shepherds, and sailors to carry a nutritious, complete food for days without spoilage. The double-bake is not a processing shortcut. It is the recipe.

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