Labneh Balls in Olive Oil
Made from homemade yogurt
By Tom Andersen
Sometimes when I make yogurt I make a whole gallon — simply because milk is cheaper by the gallon. A whole gallon of yogurt, however, is way more than two of us can eat, even if I make most of it into ice cream. In the Middle East and Central Asia, though, they turn yogurt into a variety of cheeses. They have Jameed, which is rock hard. I think Lawrence of Arabia used them for musket balls. They smash it up with a hammer and soak it until it’s soft. Then there is Shanklish, which are firm balls. They are rolled in spices and aged. The size of handballs, they make great appetizer fare. And they look impressive. Finally, there is Labneh. Labneh are little balls. Soft like cream cheese, sour, often rolled in spices and submerged in olive oil. These little babies are insanely good and easy to make.
Let’s make Labneh balls in oil from a quart of homemade yogurt. We’ll end up with about ten balls, and if we spice those balls, we’ll end up with a couple cups of spicy olive oil, perfect for all kinds of things.
First things first — making the yogurt. For each quart, you’ll need a clean and sanitized quart jar, a quart of fresh whole milk and two or three tablespoons of plain yogurt with active cultures, a pot to heat it in, a spoon, and a thermometer.
Pour slightly less than a quart of milk into the pot and heat it on medium, stirring often, until it gets to between 185°F and 190°F. You’ll see the structure of the milk change. Let it cool to less than 110°F. Stir in the yogurt, pour it into the jar with the lid on loosely. Keep it warm (around 90°F) for at least 8 hours. I have an old pilot-light Wedgewood oven, which is perfect. Some people say the oven light left on is a good way; others use hot towels in an ice chest. Whatever it takes. When it is thick, put it in the fridge overnight. It’s now ready for cheese making.
To make Labneh balls in olive oil, you’ll need a jelly bag and a regular strainer or colander over a bowl to catch the whey. You’ll also need another bowl and a teaspoon of good salt, half for curing and half when rolling the balls. Finally, you’ll need a smaller clean and sanitized jar and olive oil. Don’t bother with the great stuff; get regular olive oil. The spices will give it flavor. Pour the yogurt into the bowl, but give it a little taste — homemade yogurt is out of this world. Add that first dose of salt and stir it up. Somehow get the yogurt into the jelly bag and twist the top closed. Give it a gentle squeeze and let it sit in the strainer/bowl combo for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Gently squeeze it once in a while to help it out. When it is firm — firm like cream cheese — add the second dose of salt and knead it in. Roll it into ping-pong-ball-sized orbs. To spice them up, put about a teaspoon of spices onto a saucer and roll the ball around in it. Some favorites are Aleppo or chili peppers, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, but don’t let me stifle your creativity. Put them in a clean and sanitized jar and fill it with olive oil, making sure they are submerged. Bang it on the counter a few times to let out the bubbles.
I put them on a salad or on tomatoes with a drizzle of that oil, but my favorite is smashing one onto a homemade sourdough biscuit. Heck, put some homemade butter on there too; you’ll get two thumbs up from my grandma.
Thomas Andersen
Tom Andersen is a writer, cook, martial arts instructor and lifelong Felton resident. He explores the world of fermented food and drinks in print and online. Tom lives in Felton with his family and many pets. He is currently working on a cookbook about fermentation.
