Milk by Anne Mendelson

Author:Anne Mendelson [Mendelson, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-385-35121-8
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2019-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

YOGURT “CHEESE” AND “CHEESE” BALLS

What is usually called yogurt cheese is no more cheese than cultured buttermilk is buttermilk. True, there are commercial cheeses (leaning toward the mild, rubbery, and forgettable) based at least partly on yogurt. But most often the term “yogurt cheese” refers to yogurt taken a stage or two beyond the draining suggested in the main yogurt recipe. Usually it has had enough of the whey drained from it to produce something about as firm as a medium-soft cocktail spread. This is what’s often called labneh, or lebne, by Arabic-speakers. Sometimes you can buy it under that name in Middle Eastern groceries (but don’t confuse it with laban, which is yogurt generally).

It’s hard to give precise directions for turning yogurt into yogurt cheese, since different batches will take a longer or shorter time to drain to a given consistency. But for drained yogurt thick enough to use as a spread or fairly full-bodied dip, I would put either homemade or store-bought yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander (nonreactive, please) or the clever mesh-lined draining device called a “yogurt cheese funnel,” set it over a deep bowl, and let it drain until dripping has completely or almost stopped. If it is still rather messy, gather and tie the cheesecloth corners into a bag that can be hung from a stick (I use a long-handled wooden spoon set over a pail), or put a small plastic-wrapped weight (e.g., a can of beans) on the funnel, and leave until you see no further dripping and the yogurt is the consistency of a dip or spread. The whole process may take anywhere from 6 to 24 hours—sorry, but that’s the nature of the beast. It will happen faster at room temperature than in the refrigerator.

For yogurt cheese balls, you must get the mass to give up still more moisture. In the hot, dry climates where yogurt originated, this is not difficult. In many American kitchens, it will be easier said than done. I suggest that you follow the procedure for yogurt cheese, but first mix the yogurt with a little salt (about ½ teaspoon per starting pint of yogurt), to facilitate drainage. Let it sit still longer, until it resembles a very thick spread. Scrape it into a wide, shallow container (or more than one) like a Pyrex pie plate or baking dish, spreading it out no more than about ⅓ inch thick. If you are blessed with hot, dry summers and blazing sunshine, set it in a sunny place (loosely protected with thin cheesecloth) for 6 to 10 hours, or until it is as thick as cream cheese and the surface is dry. Otherwise, put it in a warm, dry room and wait for the same result, which may take two or three days. Be patient; it will be most satisfyingly cheesy if you wait until the yogurt is no longer tacky to the touch and you see a few dried-out cracks on the surface.

Now lightly rub your palms and a plate with olive oil.

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