After preparing yogurt cheese, I often marinate it with herbs and spices in olive oil, which not only preserves the yogurt, increasing its shelf life, but also infuses it with the distinct flavors of rosemary, black pepper, and
lemon. If rosemary and black pepper don’t appeal to you, consider substituting other herbs, like garlic chives or thyme; whole dried red chiles or red pepper flakes work well, too.
I favor olive oil made from Mission olives for this dish. Mission olive oil has a mild flavor and is low-wax, so it won’t coagulate in the refrigerator like high-wax olive oils. Before you serve the marinated cheese, pull it
from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Then spoon out a ball and a bit of oil and spread it on a piece of toasted bread.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Yogurt Cheese
• 1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
• 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• Olive oil, to cover the cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spoon the yogurt cheese into a mixing bowl and beat in the salt.
2. Take 2 tablespoons of the cheese and roll it between the palms of your hands to make a round ball. Drop it into a jar. Continue until all the yogurt cheese is formed into balls.
3. Finely grate the zest of the lemon and place it in a small bowl.
4. Cut the lemon in half crosswise and squeeze its juice into the bowl containing the lemon zest.
5. Pour the lemon juice and finely grated zest over the cheese.
6. Drop in the whole peppercorns, arrange the rosemary in the jar, and cover with olive oil.
7. Refrigerate for at least 1 day and use within 2 months.