What I remembered from the road to Mount Hermon
When I think about our trips to Mount Hermon, I don't start with the snow. The pita comes first. I remember standing with thin bread in my hand, trying to fold it without losing all the labneh, then asking for a little more za'atar. We had photos from the trip, but that taste stayed with me without a picture.
Years later, in my kitchen in the US, I opened the cupboard and saw the za'atar. Instead of putting it back, I left it on the counter. I wanted that bite: warm bread, cold labneh, olive oil and za'atar. I didn't want to make a big meal. I wanted to sit with my family and tell them what I remembered so well about that stop along the way.
I realized I didn't need to do everything at once. I'd start the labneh that evening, make the pita the next day while it finished draining, and save the za'atar for last.
That evening, I made room in the fridge
I took out one 32-ounce tub of plain whole-milk yogurt and 1 teaspoon of salt. That's the starting point for labneh: yogurt strained until it's thick, tangy and spreadable. I stirred the yogurt and salt together, lined a fine-mesh strainer with several layers of clean cheesecloth, and set it over a deep bowl. A clean, food-use muslin cloth works too. I checked there was enough room beneath the strainer for the liquid to collect.
I spooned in the yogurt and folded the cloth over it. For a moment, I pictured the traditional cloth bundle hanging from a kitchen faucet. In my kitchen, the whole setup went into the refrigerator. It drains for 12 to 24 hours, until it's as thick as you like, and the bottom of the strainer needs to stay above the drained liquid. I closed the door and went back to my evening. It felt good to know something for tomorrow had already begun.
I thought about the richer variation too: replace 1 cup of the yogurt with 1 cup of sour cream and strain it the same way, in the refrigerator. Classic labneh starts with yogurt; this is a yogurt-and-sour-cream variation. This time, I stayed with yogurt alone.
The next day, there was flour on the counter
For eight small flatbreads, I measured 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt, and set aside a little flour for dusting. I used the same measuring cup for the flour and water. I mixed and kneaded until the dough was smooth. If it's too dry to come together, add water a little at a time.
I divided the dough into eight balls, covered them and let them rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I checked the labneh. When it was as thick as I wanted, I scraped it into a clean container and stirred until smooth. It stayed covered in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below until serving.
Then I rolled and gently stretched each ball very thin, to fit my pan. One sprang back, so I gave it a few more minutes to rest and came back to it. My daughter looked at its shape and asked whether it was supposed to look like that. I said a perfect circle hadn't been part of the plan. Getting the bread really thin takes a little practice.
I remembered the saj, the domed griddle traditionally used for Druze pita. At home, I used a dry, heavy skillet; a flat griddle also works for this home version of thin, flexible flatbread. I heated it over medium-high heat, within the manufacturer's guidance, and cooked one bread at a time.
Each bread needs to set and develop light brown spots, roughly 1 to 2 minutes, depending on its thickness and the pan. Turn it briefly if the top still needs cooking. I'd put a clean kitchen towel beside the stove and covered the finished breads so they'd stay soft. Every time I added one, someone asked when they could have it.
I brought the za'atar last
When the breads were ready, I took out the cold labneh, spread it on a plate and made a shallow swirl with the spoon. I drizzled over olive oil and sprinkled on za'atar. I also made a small dipping plate with olive oil and a little za'atar. That herby flavor was exactly what I'd wanted between the cool labneh and warm bread.
We sat down. I tore off a piece and dipped it; my daughter preferred to spread and fold. I started telling them about the trip, then reached for another pita halfway through the story. There was no snow outside the window, and we were far from Mount Hermon, but suddenly it was easy to explain what I remembered.
We talked about taking something like this on our next picnic. The labneh needs to stay chilled until serving and travel in a cooler with ice packs. Don't leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F. I wanted to take the taste with us without giving up the cooling.
When we cleared the table, the za'atar stayed on the counter. It works over eggs or roasted vegetables too, but that day I only wanted this combination. A little more labneh, another drop of olive oil and one more bite of pita.
You can find NY Shuk Za'atar and olive oil among the ingredients in a pantry gift box. The bread and labneh are yours to make at home.