Labneh with pan-fried Looye tomatoes and herb oil
This is one of those dishes that looks like you’ve spent ages in the kitchen, but it’s actually all to do with smart preparation. The labneh is made from strained Greek yoghurt. Just leave it in the fridge for a few hours and you end up with a thick, creamy base with a refreshing tang. Top it with Looye tomatoes quickly pan-fried until just bursting, and finish with garlic, salt, pepper and a warm herb oil that brings everything together.
Perfect as a sharing dish with bread, but also great for a light lunch or as a side dish when you’ve got a table full of delicious food.
Cooking time
- 10 minutes prep
- 4 hours waiting time
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 240 g Looye Sweetest Selection
- 1 kg Greek yoghurt
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5 g tarragon, finely chopped
- 5 g basil, finely chopped
- 5 g parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
Materials
- Muslin or clean tea towel
- Sieve and bowl
- Frying pan
How to prepare
- Mix the yoghurt with the salt and scoop it into a muslin or clean tea towel. Place the cloth in a sieve and set it over a suitable bowl in the fridge. Leave to drain for at least 4 hours to create thick labneh.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and let them fry for 2 minutes on one side undisturbed. Add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper, stir together and fry for another 2 minutes or so until the tomatoes just start to burst. Take the pan off the heat and add the fresh herbs to the oil.
- Spread the labneh into a shallow bowl or dish with the back of a spoon, then spoon the tomatoes and the herb oil over the top.
Tip
- These days you can also find ready-made labneh in some supermarkets or Turkish shops.
Looye Sweetest Selection
Two colours. Two characters.
One sweet temptation.