Labneh, labne, labni, labnah, labane… no matter how you spell it, it’s delicious, creamy, and easy to make. Insanely easy to make. What is it? Labneh is a cheese made by straining Greek yogurt until almost all the liquid is removed. Pour on some high quality olive oil (like our Greek oil from Ariston!) and sprinkle with Za’atar for a truly Mediterranean flavor. We’re pairing it with easy to make Greek Pita bread for an addition to any charcuterie board, or use as an appetizer on its own.
For the Labneh
2 C Whole Milk/Full Fat Greek Yogurt (low fat/no fat won’t work!)
½ teasp Salt
Large bowl, cheese cloth, wooden spoon
Mix the yogurt and salt together.
Place the cheese cloth over a deep bowl, and pour the yogurt into the center.
Gather up the corners and tie the cloth around a long wooden spoon.
Lay the spoon across the top of the bowl so the yogurt is hanging above the bottom. Make sure there’s enough room for the liquid to strain out without touching the bottom of the yogurt.
Refrigerate for 24 hours (or at least overnight, but the longer the better.)
Scrape the labneh into a serving bowl and drizzle with high quality olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar or other herbs and spices, or chopped pistachios.
For the Pita
1 C Water, at approx. 115 degrees
2 t Active Dry Yeast or Bread Machine Yeast
2½ C Flour
2 t Salt
1 T Olive Oil
Place water and yeast in a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes while the yeast dissolves.
Add flour, salt, and oil.
Knead dough by hand or in a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed – but only a little at a time.
Spray or drizzle dough and bowl with oil, being sure to cover all surfaces. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap, and place the bowl somewhere warm to rise. It should about double in size. (About 1 hour for regular yeast, 30-40 minutes for instant yeast.)
Gently poke the dough to deflate it, and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces.
Gently flatten into a disk, then use a floured rolling pin to flatten out into a 8”-9” circle. Lift and turn dough frequently to keep it round.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Lay a pita circle in the hot pan until you see bubbles starting to form, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook about 1-2 minutes on the other side. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes.
These are best when eaten fresh!
