So thick, so luscious, so versatile. Yes, it’s strained yoghurt, but readers, it’s so much more.

Something wonderful happens when you put a sieve of yoghurt over a bowl and sit back and wait. Don’t hurry it: the more patient you are, the more you will be rewarded. As the whey slowly drips from the curds the yoghurt gets thicker and thicker until it could almost be cut into pieces. I love mine sweetened with a bit of rapadura sugar and flavoured with vanilla bean paste then used as a bed on top of which I serve fresh or poached seasonal fruit. It is also fantastic turned into a dip as part of an antipasto platter. Experiment with it and make it your own.

LABNEH

Makes about 550g

• 1kg Greek yoghurt

Put the yoghurt in a sieve lined with muslin and place over a bowl. Put a tea towel over the top and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight until the yoghurt is thick and creamy.  

Remove the labneh from the fridge and tip out of the muslin-lined sieve into a bowl. Discard the liquid.

At this point you can use the labneh for either sweet or savoury dishes. To make it into a dip, add a clove of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt and two good handfuls of finely chopped herbs.  Or add 3-4 tablespoons of sweetener (maple syrup, sugar, honey) and 1 teaspoon vanilla and serve with poached fruit or on top of porridge.