Directions

1. Read the safety notes before starting. Use pasteurized dairy, sanitize bowls, cloth, spoons, and thermometers, keep hands clean, and refrigerate finished cheese promptly.
2. Stir salt into yogurt until evenly combined.
3. Line a sieve with sanitized butter muslin or several layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl.
4. Spoon in the yogurt, cover, and drain in the refrigerator for 12 hours for a thick spread or 24 to 36 hours for a firm cheese.
5. Transfer to a clean container. For serving, make a shallow well and add olive oil, herbs, za'atar, or black pepper.
6. Keep refrigerated and use within 5 days. Do not store garlic-in-oil toppings at room temperature.