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Labneh balls
Serves 10 as part of a larger spread (makes around 20 balls) Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 900g Greek-style yoghurt (or a combination of 450g goat’s yoghurt and 450g Greek-style yoghurt)
- approx. 500ml olive oil
- 3 thyme or oregano sprigs, or a mixture of both
- 11⁄2tbsp chilli flakes (enough to coat 10 balls)
- 21⁄2tbsp za’atar (enough to coat 10 balls)
Method
To make the labneh, line a deep bowl with a piece of cheesecloth or muslin (a clean J-cloth is also fine) and set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the yoghurt(s) with 1tsp of salt. Pour into the cloth-lined bowl, then bring the edges of the cloth together and wrap tightly to form a bundle. Tie firmly with a piece of string. Hang the bundle over a bowl (or attached to the handle of a tall jug so that the bundle can hang free – and drip – inside the jug) and chill for 24-36 hours, until much of the liquid is lost and the yoghurt is thick and fairly dry.
Another method is to put the bundle into a sieve placed over a bowl, with the weight of a plate, for example, or a couple of cans, sitting on top: this weight speeds up the draining process.
With lightly oiled hands, spoon a small amount – around 20g – of the labneh into the palm of one hand. Roll it around to shape it into a 3cm-wide ball, and transfer to a tray lined with a damp, clean J-cloth. Continue with the remaining labneh until all the balls are rolled. Chill for a couple of hours (or overnight) to firm up.
Half-fill a jar (large enough to fit all the rolled labneh – around 10cm wide and 12cm high) or airtight container with olive oil and drop in the balls. Top with more oil, if necessary – you want the balls to be completely covered with oil – and add the thyme or oregano. Seal the jar and store, chilled.
When ready to coat – you can do this up to a day before serving – retrieve the jar and bring to room temperature, so that the oil becomes unset. Lift the balls out of the oil and roll them in the chilli flakes or za’atar. An easy way to do this is to spread your chosen coating on a plate, place a few balls at a time on top and shake the plate: the balls will be coated in seconds. If not eating immediately, chill on a plate (but not in the oil). Bring back to room temperature before serving.
This recipe was taken from the May 2020 issue of Food and Travel.
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