Edible Communities originally published this excerpt from Modern Israeli Cooking: 100 New Recipes for Traditional Classics by Danielle Oron with Page Street Publishing.
My favorite ingredient ever. It’s smooth, creamy, salty, and not to mention, lower in fat than any cream cheese you will find. Every time I put it out when we have friends over, someone always asks, “Ooooooh, what is this?” I use it a lot throughout my recipes, so if you can’t seem to find it in the grocery store, this is a really easy way to make it. It should be thick and spreadable. Normally this spread is served simply on a plate with olive oil and za’atar. You can feel free to mix in chopped green olives for added texture and flavor. I do that often.
Ingredients
1 lb (454 g) plain yogurt
1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Makes about 2 cups (500 G)
Place a strainer over a large bowl and line it with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Mix the yogurt and salt together and pour onto the cheesecloth. Allow to drain in the fridge for at least 8 hours or longer.
It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Plate the labane, drizzle with olive oil and season with za’atar. Alternatively, mix with chopped green olives.
If you like making your own labne, why not experiment with whipping up other grocery store items? We’ve got twelve ideas from Food52 including homemade Nutella, curry paste, coconut milk and chocolate syrup.
