‘Waste not, want not’, the old proverb goes, but Paximadia — the hard Cretan rusk now enjoyed all over Greece — takes thrift and turns it into a delicious and healthy snack.
Named after two small, uninhabited islands off Crete’s southern coast, Paximadia’s history is almost a long as that of Greece itself. The dry, savory biscuits are also known as dipyros, that is, twice-baked.
Popular for centuries due to its long shelf-life, resistance to mould and ease of transport, it has been a foodstuff to the various cultures which have come and gone in Greece.
These little staples can be made from a variety of grains, including wheat, rye, barley, corn, carob and chickpea flour. They can even be fashioned from a combination of these, meaning nothing in the kitchen or from the field goes to waste.
