Labaneh

Description
Labaneh is yogurt cheese, a wonderful invention for everything from pasta to sandwich spread. It takes a minimum of 8 hours to drain the yogurt, transforming it into cheese, and the cheese can be refrigerated for several days.

Ingredients

 * 2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
 * ½ clove garlic (optional)

Directions

 * 1) Line a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth; place the strainer over a bowl and pour the yogurt into the strainer; set aside at room temperature for at least 8 hours or until very, very thick.
 * 2) If using the garlic, push it through a garlic press and stir into the thickened labaneh.
 * 3) Refrigerate.