Labneh with za'atar

In Lebanon and other countries that ring the Eastern Mediterranean, labneh is a mainstay of the breakfast table. It is a yogurt which has been strained in a muslin cloth, for about 24 hours. It is commonly made using cow’s milk which is available all year; it is also made from goats’ milk from April to September.

In households throughout Lebanon, labneh is consumed on a daily basis. Labneh has a cheese-like consistency and is usually eaten at breakfast, or as a filling for pita sandwiches and also appears at lunch and dinner. One of my favorite breakfasts is to toast some flatbread, slather on labneh, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with dried mint or za'atar, a seasoning blend. Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives and fresh mint leaves are its usual companions, even at breakfast. A plate of labneh is always found in the traditional mezze, either plain or garlic-flavored*.

Here, I made the classical labneh using cow’s milk, and I sprinkled it with za'atar and olive oil! It’s the easiest homemade dip you will ever make.

Ingredients:
1 kg good quality plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 tbsp za'atar

In a medium bowl combine yogurt and salt. 

Line a colander with a double layer of cheese cloth. Place colander inside a large bowl to collect whey. Tip the yogurt and salt mixture into the lined colander. Tie the corners to make a pouch. Cover colander/bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Allow yogurt to drain in the refrigerator 24 hours.

Serve as is, if you want the plain labneh, or stir in the za'atar seasoning. Drizzle some olive oil.

Serve with crudites, or pita bread, or pita chips.

* If you like garlic, pound 1 clove of garlic and mix it to the plain labneh to obtain labneh-with-garlic.

Labneh avec za'atar

Ingrédients: 
1 kg de yaourt nature 
1 càc de sel 
huile d'olive extra-vierge
2 à 3 càs de za'atar

Dans un bol moyen, mélanger le yaourt et le sel. Tapisser une passoire avec un torchon propre. Placer la passoire dans un grand saladier. Verser le yaourt dans le torchon.  Rabattre les pans du torchon par dessus le yaourt et laisser égoutter dans le frigo 24 heures.
Servir tel quel, voire nature, ou bien ajouter le za'atar. Verser un peu d'huile d'olive. Servir avec des crudités, du pain pita, ou des chips.

* Si vous aimez l'ail, écrasez une gousse d'ail et mélanger-la au labneh nature, ainsi vous obtiendrez du labneh à l'ail.