Greek Salad (Horiatiki)

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 700g), cut into rough wedges
• 1 large English cucumber (about 350g), halved lengthwise and sliced into thick half-moons
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin rings
• 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 200g authentic Greek feta cheese (PDO), cut into one large thick slab or 4 individual slabs
• 16 Kalamata olives, unpitted
• 1 tsp dried Greek oregano (rigani), plus more for serving
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin Greek olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the tomatoes into large, rustic wedges — aim for 6 to 8 pieces per tomato. Place them in a wide, shallow serving bowl or platter.
2. Slice the cucumber into thick half-moon pieces, approximately 1.5cm thick. Add them to the bowl with the tomatoes.
3. Slice the green bell pepper into thin rings, removing all seeds and pith, and scatter them over the tomatoes and cucumber.
4. Separate the red onion slices into individual rings with your fingers and distribute them evenly over the vegetables.
5. Scatter the 16 Kalamata olives throughout the salad, distributing them evenly.
6. Drizzle the 6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil directly over all the vegetables, followed by the 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
7. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, distributing evenly.
8. Place the slab or slabs of feta cheese on top of the salad — do not crumble it. This is traditional and allows guests to break off pieces themselves.
9. Crumble the 1 teaspoon of dried Greek oregano between your fingers directly over the feta and the salad to release its oils and fragrance.
10. Serve immediately at room temperature with crusty bread on the side. Do not toss the salad — allow each person to mix their own portion as they eat.