for Magriet
I started making this creamy cheesy goodness out of necessity. My son, who loves herbed cream cheese, quark and the like, should not eat cow’s milk cheeses. So, after draining some yogurt for tzatziki I thought I would try to make some lebna. This is served throughout the middle east and has been served forever it has limitless names and varieties. This last summer when my friend Magriet was visiting from South Africa she couldn’t get enough. I have been going to post this ever since, finally I have followed through.
The versions of this are only limited by your imagination and are all equally scrumptious. I made this with goat milk yogurt, but it can also be made with cow’s or sheep’s milk yogurt. By starting with your favorite best quality plain yogurt and adding your favorite herbs you can have the best soft spreadable cheese that will knock the socks off your friends and family. When you see how easy it is you will wonder why you never tried it before.
To begin, you will need enough cheese cloth to double line a strainer which is set over a bowl. Once you have this set up, pour the yogurt into the cheese cloth. Pull the cheese cloth over the yogurt. Leave in a cool place for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. The longer you leave it the thicker it will be. Check periodically to drain off the liquid that has migrated to the bottom bowl. That liquid is whey and it can be used in other cooking, reserve if you like and store in the refrigerator.
When you think that it is ready move to a clean bowl and mix in your flavor ingredients. In the above photo I have separated it to make different flavors. There is no right or wrong here, add what you like. Serve with bread, vegetable crudites, crackers, etc.
ingredient ideas {add all ingredients to taste as each yogurt will have a different yield}
sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
minced fresh herbs, such as chives, thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc (any combination)
zest of half a lemon
crushed pink peppercorns or a pinch of red pepper flakes
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
store in a suitable sealed container in the refrigerator
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
oooh i really want to try this. what do you do with the whey?
As for whey, take a look at Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, where the whey is the desired product, and the cheese is a useful byproduct.