labneh

• 32 oz plain whole-milk yogurt 
  
  

Crust

• 150 g graham crackers (9–10 whole
  crackers)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  
  

Filling

• 2 cups labneh
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
  
  

Sauce

• 3 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen,
  stems removed
• ½ cup sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp cornstarch 
  
  

For the Labneh
Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth, place over a large bowl, and add yogurt. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight. Discard the liquid and transfer to an airtight container. You’ll have enough labneh for this recipe, and maybe even some left over.

Crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or pie pan, or 9½-inch tart pan. Put the graham crackers in a bag and crush them to fine crumbles. Transfer to a small bowl, and combine with sugar and salt. With your hands, mix in the butter until it resembles wet sand. Press into the greased pan to form a thin, even crust, using a glass or a measuring cup to flatten the sides. “The bottom can be much thinner than you think,” Sanford writes. “It will seem fragile, but will hold up well once baked.” The crust on the side should be thicker than the bottom, and should go up as high as 1 inch, depending on the pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes, or until darker in color and firmer. 

Labneh Filling
Whisk together 2 cups labneh, sour cream, sugar, and salt. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated, and then whisk in vanilla extract. Pour mixture onto the slightly cooled crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20–24 minutes, until the edges start to set and the center is very jiggly when moving the pan. Cooking time may be quicker with a tart pan—check after 15 minutes. Don’t overbake. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally 12–24 hours. Serve topped with fruit, whipped cream, or strawberry sauce. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Strawberry Sauce
Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a pot with ¼ cup water, bring to simmer, and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until sugar dissolves and strawberries soften but still hold shape. Whisk cornstarch with 2 tsp water, and then add to pot and simmer 1 minute. Sauce should easily coat spoon. Let cool, then transfer to fridge. Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.