Tag Archives: Labneh

Labneh with Dukkah Topping

Move over hummus, there’s a new dip in town. Bold statement, I know, but hear me out. Labneh is essentially yogurt strained past the point of even Greek yogurt, until it is ultra-thick. Middle Eastern in origin, it is often referred to as yogurt cheese. Lush and creamy, the texture is somewhere between cream cheese and fresh chevre.

If there is a Middle Eastern store in your area, you can probably buy labneh. If not, it’s easy to make your own. Mix whole milk (5%) plain yogurt (not Greek) with some salt, and strain it in cheesecloth for 24-48 hours.

Labneh is so versatile. You can spread it on toast, drizzle with honey and toasted hazelnuts and have it for breakfast. It’s a great substitute for mayo as a sandwich spread. Check out these other delicious creative ideas to use labneh.

My favourite way to eat labneh is as a dip. I love textural contrast in my food, so I topped this lush creamy dip with crunchy dukkah.

Dukkah is a Middle Eastern nut and spice mix. The first time I had it was at Mahane Yehuda Market (The Shuk) in Jerusalem. Vendors there sell small paper cones filled with dukkah, along with strips of grilled pita bread. You dip the bread into the vendor’s bowl of olive oil, dunk it into the cone of dukkah and then joyfully crunch and munch your way to a very happy place. (Obviously, this was before the pandemic! No one would dip their pita into a communal bowl of olive oil these days.)

The name dukkah originates from the Egyptian word “dakka,” which means “to crush,” which is what you do to many of the ingredients that go into the mix. There really is no classic recipe for dukkah. Just follow the basic ratio of 1 cup nuts: 1/2 cup sesame seeds: 4 tablespoons spices: 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

This dukkah combination was inspired by a recipe in the Summer 2020 issue of the LCBO magazine, Food & Drink. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios provide the crunch while fennel seed, cumin, coriander and sumac provide the spice notes. Go wild and create your own custom Dukkah mix.

You will only need about 1/4-1/2 cup of dukkah to sprinkle over the labneh. Save the extra in the freezer and use it to coat fish or chicken for baking.

Warmed pita bread cut into wedges makes the perfect dipping companion. If you live in Ottawa, you need to buy Thyme and Again’s spiced pita chips (pictured here). They are addictive.

Add a bowl of salted nuts and some marinated olives and you have a perfect snack to serve with drinks.

Click here to print recipe for Labneh-with-Dukkah-Topping Download

Avocado Labne Toast

Click here to print recipe for Avocado and Labne Breakfast Toast.

Breakfast Toast with Labneh, Roasted Strawberries and Hazelnuts

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I tend to eat the same thing for breakfast everyday, for about 5 years, until I get bored of it (clearly I don’t get bored very easily!) While I haven’t totally given up on my Double Coconut Granola with yogurt and fruit, I am having a brief, but passionate, dalliance with labneh.

Labneh, also called “yogurt cheese”, originated in The Middle-East thousands of years ago. It continues to be a daily staple there, showing up for breakfast drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of za’atar to dip your pita into, as a spread for sandwiches at lunch and in mezze platters at cocktail hour. It is made by straining the whey off yogurt, past the point of even Greek yogurt. Thick and tangy, it is extremely smooth, delicious and very versatile.

If you have a Middle-Eastern market near you, they often sell it. In Ottawa they make excellent labneh at Damas Supermarket. If you can’t find it, you can make it easily at home. Just mix a bit of salt and fresh lemon juice into plain yogurt. Place it in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, set over a large bowl, to catch the whey. Put it into the fridge to 24-48 hours. If you are planning to use it as a dip, 24 hours will be sufficient. If you want to use it as a spread, 48 hours will give you a thicker product. I have tried straining Greek yogurt as well as regular yogurt, and I prefer the final texture of plain regular yogurt. Just use full fat yogurt. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

I decided to pair my morning labneh with strawberries, toasted hazelnuts andf a drizzle of honey. Winter strawberries need a bit of help. I sliced them in half, mixed them with a spoonful of sugar and roasted them for 30 minutes. Leftover roasted berries will keep in the fridge for a week. Toast up your bread of choice. Something dense, and seedy to hold up to the weight of the labneh would be a good idea. Finish with a drizzle of your favourite honey and get ready to face the day.

Click here to print recipe for Breakfast Toast with Labneh, Roasted Strawberries and Hazelnuts.

Barbari Flatbread

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I was first introduced to Barbari bread at Byblos, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in Toronto. I have baked many different loaves of bread from all over the world, but I had never encountered Barbari. I became a little obsessed with wanting to recreate it.

Barbari bread is a type of Iranian flatbread. It is fairly thick and more commonly known as Persian Flatbread in North America. Neighbourhood bakeries in Iran bake this bread three times a day for their customers. A typical Iranian breakfast begins with hot sweet tea followed by barbari with feta or salted butter and jam. Kids are greeted with barbari, feta, walnuts and fresh herbs for their after-school snack. Beats Oreos any day of the week!

If you have never baked with yeast before, don’t be scared. I’ll walk you through what you need to know. There are 2 types of yeast commonly available at the supermarket, Rapid Rise and Active Dry yeast (also called Traditional). Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before using while rapid rise yeast can be mixed right into the dough. I like to use the active dry yeast because I can see that it is indeed active when I watch it bubble up in the water. Always check the expiry date on the package.

The key is to make sure the water is at the right temperature, between 95°F -115°F. Any hotter and it will kill the yeast, and any cooler and the yeast will take a very long time to activate. I usually stir a teaspoon of sugar into my water to give the yeast something to help activate it. Yeast uses sugar as food. It takes a few minutes for the yeast to activate.The dough comes together in a stand mixer in about 6-8 minutes. Then set the dough aside to rise for about an hour.

This recipe makes 2 flatbreads. They are easily formed by shaping the dough into two 9 inch logs and then gently stretching each into a 14×5 inch rectangle. To prevent the bread from puffing up too much in the oven, drag your fingers (or the handle of a long wooden spoon) to press five lengthwise grooves into the dough.Before baking the bread is brushed with the special glaze made from flour, sugar, oil, and water. It sort of looks like wallpaper paste. This glaze, known as “roomal” is an ancient solution to “steaming” your oven. The roomal adds additional moisture directly to the surface of the bread as it bakes, allowing it to rise fully. It has the added advantage of giving the crust a satiny shine. I sprinkled my first loaf with sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and salt. I gave the second loaf a generous sprinkle of za’atar. I prepared a batch of honey roasted tomatoes. I served the sesame and nigella flatbread with burrata cheese, roasted tomatoes, fresh basil and a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil. Don’t forget a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, please.I did a more typical Iranian topping for the za’atar flatbread. I doctored up some storebought labneh with pomegranate molasses and pomegranate seeds. Labneh (Middle Eastern strained yogurt) is similar to Greek yogurt but thicker in consistency, almost like soft cream cheese. It’s tangier and creamier than yogurt. If you can’t find it, it’s easy to make your own. I spread the flatbread with labneh, scattered some toasted walnuts and fresh mint on top and finished it with an extra drizzle of pomegranate molasses.