5 ingredients: flavoured labne yoghurt cheese balls

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If you like cream cheese and the tangy flavours of feta you will absolutely love this 1 ingredient yoghurt cheese!

That’s right it only takes a sinlge ingredient to make it: natural or Greek-style yoghurt. The other 4 ingredients are there to preserve and flavour the cheese. I prefer the savoury herb and spice version, but the yoghurt cheese goes just as well with honey, nuts and raspberries or poached dried fruit as a dessert.

It’s creamy, tangy and goes well as a spread, dip, as a base on bruschetta or even mixed into a Greek salad or dolloped onto grilled lamb. And because it is made from yoghurt it contains very little if no fat if you choose a no-fat yoghurt! How good is that?

Once placed in oil, labne will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Makes about 450g (a fist-sized ball)

5 ingredients: labne yoghurt cheese balls

You can use natural or Greek-style yoghurt to make the cheese. To preserve, use olive oil or if you are on a stricter budget sunflower oil will do just as well. The flavouring is up to you and I have provided a couple of options below. It will take about 24-36 hours for the whey to separate from the cheese.

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Labne

• 500g natural or Greek-style yoghurt
• (square 1/2 sqm gauze or cheese cloth)

Flavoured oil option 1

• 2 cups olive // or sunflower // or vegetable oil
• 4 cloves of galic, sliced
• 2 slices of lemon
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

Flavoured oil option 2

• 2 cups olive // or sunflower // or vegetable oil
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 4 cloves of galic, sliced
• 1 tbsp Zataar or other Middle Eastern spice blend

To make the cheese: fold the cheesecloth into a 30-40cm square, 2-3 single layers thick. Place the cloth over a bowl. Mix yoghurt in the tub and spoon into the middle of the cheese cloth. Gather the edges up tightly and tie into a knot on the top.

Using a couple fo bamboo skewers, or a chopstick, hang the yoghurt ball over a plastic container and place in the fridge. Allow the whey (milky water) to drip into the container for 24 – 36 hours. Discard whey after the first 12 or so hours and you will be able to see how much is draining over the next period.

To preserve the cheese in oil and herbs: place oil, sliced garlic, lemon or bay leaves into a tall airtight container or pottle. Add spices and mix well. Gently unwrap the cheese and place into the oil. Leave for a couple of hours for the flavours to infuse. The powdered spices will settle on top of the cheese lending it their flavour.

To serve: spread spoonfuls on bread or grilled meat, or mix into salads.

To store: seal the container and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

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