Labneh balls in oil

Name: Labneh balls in oil
Prep time: 24 min
Cook time: 2880 min
Total time: 2904 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Levantine
Ingredients: 1 kg Full-fat yogurt; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons Thyme, ground chili, dried mint; about 3 cups olive oil

Heavy strained labneh, shaped into balls and drizzled with olive oil, thyme, and pepper — an elegant preserve in a jar.

Vegetarian

Cooking time: 48 hr 24 min
Hands-on time: 24 min
Free time: 48 hr
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Levantine
Calories: 360
Contains: Dairy

Labneh balls are a grandmother's way of turning surplus labneh into a treasure: labneh is drained until it thickens, rolled into balls, coated with za'atar or chili, and then placed in oil. A jar of them on the kitchen shelf is a decoration before it's a pantry staple.

Before you start

Long strainingThis labneh needs two to three days of straining in the refrigerator — it is much heavier than regular individual labneh, in order to form a ball without sticking.

Ingredients

8people

Amounts follow the number of people

To prepare labneh balls with oil

1 kg Full-fat yogurt — Full-fat and chilled until needed
1 teaspoon salt — Add gradually, tasting as you go
2 tablespoons Thyme, ground chili, dried mint — For coating — optional
about 3 cups olive oil — Extra-virgin; enough to submerge the labneh balls completely

For a larger number of guests, double the ingredients, adding salt and acidity gradually after tasting.

Equipment

Muslin cloth — Two to three days of straining is what gives labneh firm enough to roll.
Clean jar — The balls must be fully covered in oil, or whatever shows above it will spoil.

Method

Mix the yogurt with the salt and strain it through cheesecloth inside the refrigerator for two to three days.
48 hrYou can walk away
You’ll know it’s ready when
A cohesive mass resembling dough that does not stick to the hand.
Tip: Don't cut the resting time short; it is part of getting the final texture right.
Moisten your palms with a little oil and roll the labneh into balls the size of a walnut.
8 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The balls hold together and are roughly walnut-sized.
Tip: Check the doneness cue before moving on to the next step, rather than relying on the time alone.
Roll some of the balls in thyme, chili, or mint to vary the colors.
8 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
Each ball is coated in whatever it was rolled in.
Tip: Check the doneness cue before moving on to the next step, rather than relying on the time alone.
Pack them in a clean jar and completely cover them with olive oil, and they can be eaten starting the next day.
8 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The oil covers all the balls in the jar.
Tip: Check the doneness cue before moving on to the next step, rather than relying on the time alone.