Labneh with Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes and Dukkah, you will be going with a simple classic Lebanese spread like labneh and transform it to a festive looking plate with multi layers of textures and flavors. The taste tester at Hadia’s Lebanese Cuisine, referring to my son Hicham, scraped the plate with a piece of toasted pita bread to retrieve the last bit of the dish. He declared that this should be kept  on our regular dinner or even snacking rotation. Serve it as an appetizer or starter for any big occasion, and I guarantee it will be the dish that will steal the show.

Labneh with Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes and Dukkah (Watch Video Tutorial)

Labneh with Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes and Dukkah

With Thanksgiving approaching, I wish all my American friends and readers a day full of joy surrounded by your family and friends.  I hope you enjoy some relaxation and great food on your table! Here is an appetizer or starter you may like to add to your Thanksgiving buffet! Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours.

Ingredients you need to make the dish

• Labneh: A versatile dip and a staple breakfast in every Lebanese home, you can buy ready labneh or even make your batch at home. Here is a detailed recipe on how to make labneh.
• Garlic and fresh mint leaves are crushed together to make a paste. This adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the tomatoes while sauteing together.
• Olive oil: Olive oil adds a fabulous flavor, depth and balance, use a good quality
• Dukkah: A mixture of nuts, seeds and spices blended together to make a celebration of aromatic crunchy flavors. Here is a great dukkah recipe to keep in your repertoire. Make a batch and keep it on your kitchen shelf, it is a handy blend to rely on.
• Salt: Add a pinch of salt to the tomatoes while sauteing them, this will highlight the tomatoes’ sweetness.
• Arabic or Pita Bread: You can serve it with any toasted bread, zaatar and sumac crackers or toasted Arabic bread makes a great match with this “Labneh, Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes.”

How to make “Labneh with Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes and Dukkah”?

You need first to pound the mint leaves and garlic together into a paste and sauté them with cherry tomatoes and olive oil in a skillet, and here where the magic begins; the cherry tomatoes will capture all the deep flavors and will come together in the best possible way, you can add Jalapeno or serrano pepper to give it some spice: this will be topped on layer of labneh and sprinkled with dukka, a crunchy mixture of nuts, seeds and spices blended together, check the dukkah. recipe here.

With a mortar and pestle crush well together the fresh mint leaves and the garlic cloves to a paste

In a medium skillet over medium heat add the garlic-mint paste, cherry tomatoes, pinch of salt and drizzle the olive oil.

Sauté together until the tomatoes soften a bit and start to burst.

Spread the labneh all over a large plate, scatter the tomatoes and the juices all over the labneh.

Add a small drizzle of olive oil.

Scatter the dukkah evenly on top. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with the toasted pita bread.

Serves 2 to 3 persons

You can double or even triple the ingredients to serve a larger group

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
•  A pinch of salt
• 2 cups labneh
• A handful of fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons dukkah
• A small drizzle of olive oil upon serving
•  1 large Arabic bread or two pita breads, cut into squares and toasted to a golden color.
• More mint leaves to garnish

Directions;

1. Start by toasting the Arabic or pita bread: with a sharp knife, cut the bread into equal cracker portions. Place them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast in a preheated oven to 200°C/400°F  about 7 minutes until crisp.
2. With a mortar and pestle crush well together the fresh mint leaves and the garlic cloves to a paste. Set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat add the garlic-mint paste, cherry tomatoes, pinch of salt and drizzle the olive oil.
4. sauté together until the tomatoes soften a bit and start to burst. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Spoon the labneh onto a plate and spread it with the back of a spoon, scatter the tomatoes and the juices all over the labneh.
6. Add a small drizzle of olive oil and scatter the dukkah evenly on top. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with the toasted pita bread  or with our zaatar and sumac crackers. Happy eating!

Here is a detailed recipe on how to make Labneh

If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine

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