On Instagram, I described today’s Garlic Labneh Flatbread as a clean-out-the-fridge meal. What I failed to mention, is my fridge is not like other people’s fridges. I’m not saying that to be a snob, I am merely pointing it out. It’s not uncommon for me to have garlic confit on hand because my job requires me to make such things. I’m not over-the-top organized by nature, and if I weren’t frequently paid to develop and shoot recipes, I would have such things at my fingertips. So, there’s no reason to feel bad about the state of your fridge in comparison to mine. I generally find myself in a desperate struggle to keep up with the contents of my fridge. So it’s not necessarily a state worthy of coveting. Okay, disclaimer over. Let’s talk about this Garlic Labneh Flatbread with Steak and Blood Oranges.
My guy is a technical producer that often shoots hands-in-pans videos for all sorts of major brands. So every now and then, he comes home with a bag of unclaimed groceries leftover from a shoot. The other day was one such day and he came home with a single NY strip steak. A wonderful treat to be sure, but a single steak between split between two people can sometimes feel like a horrible tease. Solution? Spread the steak out across homemade flatbreads piled high with delicious gourmet ingredients starting with labneh.
I love labneh! So much so that I’m about to say something deeply controversial – it’s better than cream cheese and yes, it’s better than sour cream. It’s what I want on my bagels, it’s what I served my latkes with during Hannukah, and I’m inundated with ideas for labneh-based desserts daily. Oh and most importantly, it’s a snap to make and very hands-off.
Basically, labneh is yogurt that has been seasoned and then drained. You simply wrap the yogurt in a few layers of cheesecloth and suspend it over the sink or a bowl. The yogurt drains for 3-5 hours and then you have a rich and creamy spread you can put on all manner of carbs. It’s truly magical.
These Garlic Labneh Flatbreads feature a labneh seasoned with five cloves of garlic confit. If you don’t have garlic confit and you don’t see yourself making it, you can substitute the cloves with 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic. It will have more of a bite and the flavor won’t be quite as concetrated but it will still result in some very tasty labneh.
As far as the flatbreads go, this recipe could not be more simple. While the recipe does contain yeast, the proofing time for these bad boys is next to nothing. From the time the ingredients hit the bowl to the moment the flatbreads slide, golden and warm onto your plate, you’re looking at 30 minutes of work. 45 minutes tops! Oh! And there’s more good news. If you’re not lucky enough to have a stand mixer, you can absolutely make these flatbreads with nothing more than your hands and a wooden spoon. Your forearms will thank you for the workout.
Finally, these flatbreads are rounded out with slices of blood oranges, black olives, and fresh parsley. And here’s where the clean-out-the-fridge angle really comes into play. You can add whatever you have to these flatbreads. The sky is the limit. I for one love oranges and olives together, but you don’t have to go the salty/sweet route. You could load them up with banana peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, anything your heart desires. Use these flatbreads and labneh as a jumping-off point and make this recipe your own.
So that’s everything you need to know about these Garlic Labneh Flatbreads. They are endlessly customizable. Seriously, you can do no wrong here. So throw whatever you have/want at them and I promise they will thrill you.
Enjoy!
Garlic Labneh Flatbread with Steak and Blood Oranges
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Cheesecloth
Ingredients
Garlic Confit
- 2 heads garlic cloves separated and peeled
- 2 cups olive oil or enough to fully immerse the garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Labneh
- 5 cloves garlic confit see above
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt
Flatbread
- 1¼ cups luke warm water try not to exceed 115°F
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley coarsely chopped
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour
Toppings
- 2 NY Strip Steaks cooked to the desired doneness, thinly sliced
- 2 blood oranges skin removed, sliced
- ½ cup black olives
- 10-12 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
For the Confit
- Place the garlic cloves in a large skillet. Pour the oil over top. Make sure the cloves are fully immersed, adding more oil if necessary.
- Add the bay leaves and thyme and place the skillet over medium heat, until bubbles begin to break the surface. Reduce the heat to low and cook the garlic in the gently simmering oil for 20 -25 minutes or until the cloves are soft enough to be easily pierced by a fork.
- Transfer the cloves to a jar and pour the oil over top. The cloves will keep immersed in oil for a month. You can use the oil in place of regular olive oil as well.
For the Labneh
- Place the garlic confit and salt in a bowl and mash them together to form a thick paste. Add the paste to the yogurt and stir to combine.
- Wrap the yogurt in three layers of cheesecloth to form a bundle. Suspend the bundle from the shelf in the fridge over a bowl or attach to the faucet of the sink and let drip for 3-5 hours or until thick.
- Take the labneh out of the cheesecloth and transfer it to a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Flatbread
- Pour the water, sugar, and yeast into a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
- Stir in the yogurt, olive oil, and salt. Add parsley and begin adding the flour 1 cup at a time. You can integrate the flour using a dough hook or a wooden spoon and your hands.
- Once a dough forms, transfer it to a well floured-surface and knead any remaining flour into the dough. You may not need the full four cups. The dough will feel tacky but not sticky. It should be looser than a regular bread dough.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- When the 15 minutes have passed, roll each piece out and brush with a little olive oil. Place the flatbread in the center of a hot cast-iron skillet over medium heat, oil-side-down. Brush the other side of the flatbread with additional olive oil.
- When the bread begins to bubble, flip and cook until golden. About 3 minutes per side. Transfer the bread to a plate and repeat with the remaining dough. Keep the flatbreads warm until ready to serve.
To Assemble
- Spread the labneh over the flatbreads generously. Arrange the steak, orange slices, olives, and parsley on top and finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
