Labneh
Labneh is kind of Middle-Eastern cream cheese made of yogurt. It is very easy to prepare and it can come in any consistency from very soft to very thick, you decide.
If you make it thick, you can roll it into balls, put in a jar and cover with olive oil, this way you can keep it for a long time in the fridge. Labneh is great as a spread on a bread or a pita for breakfast, or as a side dish with any main dish, be it meat or fish.
Labneh is inseparable from za'atar, a Middle-Eastern mix of spices and herbs. If you cannot find za'atar in your local store, you can easily prepare it by yourself. Like every mixture of herbs, it has many versions, but the dominant parts are dried hyssop and sesame seeds. Add a little bit of dried oregano, a pinch of dried sumac and some salt and you are done.
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1 Kg (2 lbs 4 oz) sheep/goat yogurt
salt
za'atar
olive oil
Preparation time: 5 mins + up to 48 hours draining
Difficulty level: Easy
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Add 1 tsp of salt to the yogurt and mix well.
Line a fine strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl.
Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth, wrap it and tie with a string.
Set aside for 1 hour, then empty the bowl of the water and put everything in the fridge.
The longer it stays there the harder it gets. 12 hrs. - very soft consistency, 24 hrs. - medium (like cream cheese), 48 hrs. and more will get a very thick Labneh that you can roll into balls.
Before serving sprinkle some za'atar and plenty of olive oil.
Tip: The level of sourness depends on the yogurt you use. If you like it very sour, go for the goat milk yogurt. You can even squeeze a lemon into the mixture before putting in the fridge.
