Horiatiki

Ingredients

• 4ripe tomatoes — wedged
• 1cucumber — sliced thick
• 1green pepper — sliced
• 1red onion — sliced
• 200 gfeta — in a slab
• 80 gKalamata olives
• 80 mlextra virgin olive oil
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Begin by washing the 4 ripe tomatoes, 1 cucumber, and 1 green pepper thoroughly under cold water. Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut the tomatoes into large wedges, slice the cucumber into thick rounds, and cut the green pepper into rings. Aim for generous pieces so they retain their shape and texture in the salad.
2. Peel the red onion and slice it into thin rings. If you find the onion too pungent, you can soak the slices in cold water for a few minutes to mellow the flavor, then drain well. Pile the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, and onion rings into a shallow serving bowl, allowing the colors to mix naturally.
3. Take the 200 g slab of feta and nest it on top of the vegetables. Scatter the 80 g of Kalamata olives around the feta, ensuring they are evenly distributed. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dried oregano over the feta and vegetables, letting it fall like a light dusting of snow.
4. In a small bowl, combine 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Whisk them together until they form a cohesive dressing. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad, ensuring each component is lightly coated.
5. Season the salad with fine sea salt to taste. Remember, the feta and olives will add saltiness, so start with a small amount and adjust as needed. Toss the salad gently with your hands or salad tongs, taking care not to break the feta.
6. Serve the Horiatiki salad immediately with crusty bread on the side. The bread is perfect for mopping up the flavorful juices that collect at the bottom of the bowl, making sure none of the delicious dressing goes to waste.