Labneh — Sitto's Kitchen

Sitto’s pantry always had those wonderful round balls of Yogurt Cheese, which she called “Labneh” for year-round snacking. It was made from her homemade yogurt, drained in a cheesecloth bag for a day or more. Then it became something altogether different!

Yogurt Cheese with Mahlab Spice and sprinkled with Nigella Seeds

It was now something that would be served sweetened for breakfast, to spread over Syrian bread along with her favorite dried fruit. The savory version, made with fresh or dried mint or parsley, would be eaten before dinner or as a Mezze appetizer. Those yogurt rounds, hand-rolled would be preserved in olive oil and kept in Sitto’s pottery jars until needed. Sitto’s cold pantry was just under the kitchen, down a few steps into the basement. She’d store other pottery jars there filled with grape leaves tied in bunches in a salt brine, some pickled vegetables from a summer harvest, or dried meats wrapped in cheesecloth, called Ehdeed.

Those early traditions taught me how the Syrian cook planned ahead during growing seasons, preparing dishes that would be eaten throughout the winter months at the family’s table. That was one of the reasons I created a Basics chapter in the cookbook. Some ingredients alone, or prepared, were the cornerstone of many other recipes in my grandmother’s Aleppo menus.

Yogurt Cheese, Labneh, is just such an ingredient. Plain, homemade or purchased whole milk yogurt is the base. Depending on how long you drain it, it can be creamy and spreadable or more solid. Like the other basic foods in this chapter, Labneh is served in so many ways. It can be prepared ahead and stored in olive oil or right after it’s made, it can be the beginning or the end-all of a dish. For instance, I’ve used yogurt cheese in place of cream cheese in a few recipes. As a creamy version, I’ve added ground mahlab spice and topped it with some Nigella seeds…making it taste like homemade Syrian String Cheese! I’ve included the savory version in turnovers and phyllo as an appetizer or served it simply as a spread for fresh veggies or crackers. The sweetened version inside homemade pastry along with a fresh fruit is the start of a delicious dessert. In fact, I’m planning on using it instead of cream cheese in a cheesecake recipe. And the best part is that yogurt cheese is lower in calories, so I often consider it as a slather on a multi-grain slice of bread for breakfast or alongside my salad. Labneh, the start of something good, is on page 17 of the cookbook!