If you like cream cheese you absolutely have to try this Lebanese recipe to make it from yogurt. If you like the idea of making cheese at home but not only (also useful if you want to make vegetable milk and many other preparations) I recommend buying a food gauze which is used precisely to make all the water lose in excess to a food and then use the remaining solid part. (you can find it on Amazon for less than 10 euros)
Ingredients
- 1kg of yogurt (Greek or normal or low-fat)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cheesecloth or a finely woven cloth
- A colander
- String
Method:
- Place double cheesecloth or soft (undyed and clean) cotton fabric in colander set over large bowl
- Mix the salt and yoghurt together then place the yoghurt in the center of the cloth and let it drain for 3-5 hours (if it's hot put it in the fridge to drain).
- Or you can join the edges of the fabric and tie them together with string and then hang the bundle so that it hangs over a bowl (but only if it's not too hot in this case anyway you have to let it drain in the refrigerator). Leave it hanging overnight and the next morning it will have the consistency of cottage cheese.
- Remove the cheese from the fabric and store it in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
- To have a more solid consistency you can either put a weight of about 3-4 kg on the bundle with the yogurt inside (which will make it lose more water) or decide, regardless of the external temperature, to let it drain in the refrigerator and extend to 2- 3 days the time in which to let it lose the water, however changing the cloth in which it is kept at least a couple of times.
- You can flavor it with aromatic herbs or garlic or pepper as you like or simply spread it on bread with a drizzle of good oil.
- The more solid version is traditionally modeled in the shape of balls (labneh balls) which are kept immersed in oil (in this way they last up to a year in the refrigerator!) and then served as an aperitif by rolling them in sesame seeds, black pepper or parsley.
