Lebneh Balls in Olive Oil

Dense, tangy labneh rolled into walnut-sized balls, coated in dried herbs and chili, and preserved in good olive oil — the edible jewelry of the Lebanese larder, beautiful in the jar and extraordinary on bread.

Ingredients

• 500 grams, well-drained full-fat labneh
• 2 tablespoons dried za'atar
• 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 400 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sprig dried rosemary sprig
• 3 whole, peeled garlic cloves

Method

1. Mix za'atar, chili flakes, dried mint, sesame seeds, and salt together in a small flat bowl — this is the coating mixture.
2. With wet hands (to prevent sticking), roll heaped teaspoons of labneh into smooth balls approximately 3 cm in diameter.
3. Roll each ball in the herb-spice mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres all around.
4. Place coated balls on a tray lined with paper towel and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to firm up.
5. Sterilize a wide-mouth glass jar (1-liter capacity) by filling with boiling water, draining, and drying completely.
6. Layer the lebneh balls into the jar with the garlic cloves and rosemary sprig interspersed between them.
7. Pour olive oil over the balls until completely submerged — no ball should touch air.
8. Seal and refrigerate. The lebneh balls keep for 2–3 weeks. The olive oil, infused with herbs and garlic, is itself a delicacy on bread.

The story