Za’atar and labneh spaghetti

Creamy labneh produces a pasta dish that features the texture of an Alfredo, but with a bright tang that brings levity. A Middle Eastern yogurt that is strained or hung until the texture of soft cheese, labneh provides a rich, luscious texture, but strained yogurts, like Greek yogurt or skyr, are suitable substitutes. An important point is that you must be sure to add the dairy at the end, and don’t let it come to a boil while you stir. Boiling will cause the yogurt to break, leaving you with a sauce that isn’t creamy or rich. If the pasta sauce tightens up and breaks from sitting for too long, there’s a simple solution: Add some reserved pasta water and stir vigorously over medium-low heat until the sauce comes back together, lusciously smooth, saucy and glossy.

By Ham El-waylly Yield: 4 servings Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:

• Kosher salt

• 12 oz spaghetti

• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 8 oz labneh (or strained yogurt, like Greek or skyr)

• 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade za’atar

Preparation: 1. Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to the water and boil 1 minute less than package instructions, or until the spaghetti has a very tiny dry core when cut in half. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, drain the pasta, then return the pot to medium-high heat.

2. Add the olive oil and garlic to the pot and cook, frequently stirring, until the garlic turns a light brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the cooked spaghetti and 1 cup of reserved pasta water and simmer until the pasta, pasta water and oil emulsify into a thick, starchy sauce.

4. Turn the heat down to low and add the labneh. Stir vigorously until the sauce is emulsified and the spaghetti is evenly coated. Do not let the sauce boil, or it will separate. If at any point the sauce seems to break and lose its creaminess, add splashes of pasta water and stir over low heat until the sauce comes back together.

5. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top generously with za’atar and a hefty drizzle of olive oil.

6. Serve immediately.