Labneh with (rose petal) Jam

A strained yogurt dish that often resembles a soft cheese. It’s eaten throughout the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Balkan region. It’s sometimes called suzma in Central Asia.

Christmas and Hannukah both fall on the 25th this year. Labneh is a strained yogurt dish that is often eaten with latkes in many Jewish households. It's also a dish celebrated across the Middle East, Mediterranean and the Balkans. Food is a uniting force and common experience. In the spirit of appreciating other cultures (pun intended) and eating local, we present to you a dish that allows you to celebrate the flavors of a different region by sticking to your own. 

Makes 1 cup of labneh

INGREDIENTS

Two cups plain yogurt (500 g)

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons rose petal jam or jam of choice, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix the yogurt with the salt to draw out the water.

Line a small colander with a clean cotton tea towel, or two layers of cheesecloth, and place it over a bowl so that it doesn’t touch the bottom. Pour the yogurt in, then lightly cover it with the corners of the cloth.

Leave to drain in the fridge for 5-10 hours.

Spoon the labneh onto a plate, leave swirls to hold your favorite jam topping.

Recipe by: Saghar Setareh from Pomegranates and Artichokes: A Food Journey from Iran to Italy