MIDDLE EASTERN, LIGHT BITES & SNACKS
LABNEH WITH PRESERVED LEMON & PISTACHIO
- Timescale Weekend Project
- Serves 2-4
- Difficulty Simple
This creamy, tangy, thick, strained yoghurt has taken the world by storm – it’s easy to understand why. Sometimes referred to as Middle Eastern cream cheese, this dip is extremely easy to make at home – all you need is full-fat yoghurt, salt, cheesecloth and time.
We’ve added the funky, citrus tang of preserved lemon to ours and topped with toasted pistachios for texture. Hummus never seemed so boring.
Scale
Ingredients
THE LABNEH
500g Greek Yoghurt,
1 Small Preserved Lemon,
1 tsp. Salt
TO GARNISH
15g pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
Olive Oil
METHOD
THE LABNEH
- Combine the yoghurt and salt and mix together.
- Line a bowl with muslin or cheesecloth and then add the salted yoghurt into the bowl.
- Fold up the corners of the cloth and tie together with a knot to create a little bundle. Think the proverbial bundle carried by a stork.
- Suspend the bundle over a bowl so that it catches any liquid and leave in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, if not too warm, you can hang from your kitchen tap over the sink overnight.
TIP – I usually tie the cheesecloth to a wooden spoon and suspend over a deep mixing bowl and leave in the fridge.
- Remove the labneh from the cheesecloth – the labneh should have a texture similar to cream cheese.
- Quarter the preserved lemon and remove the pulp from the lemon wedges to leave only the skin. Finely dice the lemon and then add a quarter to the labneh, mixing together until evenly distributed.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and top with a little bit more preserved lemon and toasted pistachios.
TIP – This should keep in the fridge for several days.
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