Labna (Yogurt Cheese)

 Labna 

Labna is a middle eastern soft cheese made from yogurt. Traditionally it is made with goats or sheep's milk yogurt but this recipe works fine with cows milk yogurt. You can add as much or as little flavour as you like really. 

If you want to try it with sheep yogurt and you're not sure where to get it, I found this sheep milk yogurt in Waitrose. 

(Recipe by Sarah Wasserman)

For the cheese:

1 pot of yogurt (1 Pint)

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tsps Fresh finely chopped herbs

1/2 Sumac (sumac is a sour spice which works in a similar way to lemon, so if you cant find it you could add some lemon zest)

black pepper to taste

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

You will also need: 1 square piece of muslin (about 12inches)

1) This is really simple. Just mix the yogurt with the herbs and taste. If you're happy with it then add the salt and stir through. 

 2) Sterilize the muslin by boiling it in a pan of clean water. Remove and wring out. 

3) Drape the muslin over a bowl and pour in the yogurt.

4) Tie the top and suspend over a jug or bowl by tying it to a wooden spoon (I find that a flat handled spoon is best as it doesn't spin around)

5) Leave in the fridge (unless your kitchen is really chilly in which case you leave it out) for two to three days, till it stops dripping)

 6) Unwrap and then roll into balls about the size of a large walnut. Store inside a jar covered in oil. Stored like this it will keep for about three weeks to a month.

To serve: You can just eat it on flat bread but it's really nice with a warm salad. At work we serve it with warm beetroot. We ate it at home with grilled baby aubergines and pomegranate. You can also serve it on top of a warm stew.