Labne

Not quite cheese, but no longer yoghurt, labne is profoundly Ottoman in its simplicity and versatility. It crops up all across the region once governed from Istanbul, as a side dish, a condiment, a sweet pudding, breakfast food, a dip, or a spicy relish, and when you have made it once you will make it forever.

Labneh is nothing more than yoghurt drained of its whey. To eat it with nuts, stewed fruit and/or honey as a pudding or for breakfast, simply drain the yoghurt plain, overnigh