Marinated Greek Yogurt Cheese Balls (Labneh)

I'll be the first to admit that I'm completely obsessed with Greek yogurt. If I don't have my daily serving, I get a little cranky. If my supermarket runs out of my favorite brand, I will go to another market to find it. I need my fix! But apart from my daily treat, I love using it as an ingredient in dips, dressings and even cakes and quick breads. But my number one passion these days is turning it into cheese.

A little salt, some cheesecloth (available at any supermarket) and a bit of time is all it takes to achieve a creamy, tangy cheese. The taste and texture is somewhere between goat and cream cheese and it's absolutely wonderful as a substitute for either.

I've marinated feta cheese before and loved using it as an appetizer so it was time to do the same with my Greek yogurt cheese (called labneh).

The result was so tempting and so hard to stop eating that I found myself making a meal of it instead of the starter. And you won't hear any complaints about that from me. Enjoy!

by Hungry Couple

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 48 Hours Refrigerator Time

6070731

Ingredients (8 Servings)

• 2 Cups Greek yogurt (full fat or 2%)
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon za'atar seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon chopped chives
• Olive oil plus additional teaspoon of za'atar for marinade

Instructions

Combine the yogurt, salt and za'atar. Scoop the mixture into cheesecloth and knot tightly. Place the cheesecloth bundle into a mesh strainer over a bowl. Leave on the counter, at room temperature for 1 hour, drain the liquid that forms in the bowl and then refrigerate for 24 - 48 hours.

Remove the strained yogurt from the cheesecloth and form 1 oz. balls with your hands or a cookie scoop. Place the cheese balls in a jar and fill with olive oil, an additional teaspoon of za'atar and the chives. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve spread on crackers or crusty bread and topped with a sprinkling of sea salt.

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