Labneh (strained yoghurt cream with olive oil and za'atar)

The everyday breakfast cream cheese of the Levant: salted, drained yoghurt, tangy and very creamy. Eaten with olive oil, za'atar and bread.

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Method

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1. Mix the yoghurt with the salt.
2. Line a sieve with a double layer of clean cheesecloth or a thin tea towel, and set it over a bowl.
3. Pour in the yoghurt, gather the corners of the cloth, and leave to drain in the fridge for at least 12, ideally 24 hours.
4. Once the labneh is thick, like spreadable cream cheese, remove it from the cloth; the drained whey can be used for other purposes.
5. Spread onto a flat plate, swirl with a spoon, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with za'atar and mint.
6. Serve with pita, olives and fresh vegetables.

A Receptnaptár original recipe. Calories and protein are estimated.

Tips

• Draining for 2-3 days lets you shape it into balls and store them in olive oil.
• A quicker version: with Greek yoghurt, even 4-6 hours of draining is enough.

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