LABNEH BALLS
Labneh is a thick, creamy, tangy strained yoghurt that has been a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries, particularly in the Levant, including Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan. Often described as somewhere between Greek yoghurt and soft cream cheese, it is traditionally made by straining natural/greek yoghurt through muslin or cheesecloth to remove the whey, leaving behind a rich, smooth cheese with a pleasantly tart flavour. Labneh is commonly served as part of a mezze spread, drizzled with good olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, sumac or fresh herbs, alongside warm flatbread, olives and fresh vegetables.
It is wonderfully simple to make at home and it only takes a few ingredients, particularly with how expensive cheese it becoming, it’s a great alternative. By rolling them in balls, you get to coat them in wonderful spices, with my favourite being the equal parts sumac, chilli and paprika which doubles as an amazing chicken seasoning once you finish rolling the balls out.
LABNEH BALLS
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LABNEH BALLS 〰️
Time: 20 minutes + 48 straining
Serves: Makes around 12-15 balls worth
1kg greek yoghurt
Big pinch salt
1/2 cup za’atar
1/4 cup sumac
1/4 cup chilli powder
1/4 cup paprika
Cheap olive oil (to cover)
Mix salt into greek yoghurt before placing into coffee filter or muslin cloth in sieve, over a large bowl. I like to put a heavy object to weigh down the yoghurt. Place in fridge and allow to drip out as much liquid over 2 days.
Once yoghurt has been dripped prep the spice coatings. In one bowl place the za’atar and in the second mix together the sumac, chilli and paprika. Using your hands roll the labneh into medium small balls and then roll them into the either spice bowl, making sure to coat it completely. Add into sterilised jar and repeat the process until all the strained yoghurt is gone. Cover the balls with olive oil and keep in fridge.
Balls can last up to 2-3 months in the fridge, just take out to room temperature (to melt the oil) when looking to eat, or store a few in a container if looking to enjoy over the next couple days.
When the labneh balls are finished, use the strained leftover olive oil to cook with, but not to finish fresh recipes with.