Pamela Anderson’s Za’atar Bread With Labneh Dip

Directions

• For the dough:
• In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/3 cup of the water and stir in the sugar. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest about 5 minutes, or until bubbly and foamy.
• Add the flour, the salt, the tablespoonful of olive oil, and the remaining 2/3 cup of water. Mix well and knead (with your hands or using the dough hook on a stand mixer) until smooth and sticky. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring that all the sides are covered. Transfer the dough to the pan.
• Drizzle the top of the dough generously with olive oil and use your fingers to press it toward the corners of the pan, stretching it to fill the whole space. The dough will be sticky, but if your fingers are oiled, you can easily shape it. Sprinkle with the za’atar. Let rest about 30 minutes, or until puffy.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475°F/250°C.
• Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter wheel, cut the dough crosswise into strips 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Bake about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking pan and then break apart into thin breadsticks. Serve warm with the labneh dip.
• For the Labneh Dip:
• Line a fine-mesh sieve with several layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and set the sieve over a bowl so that it hovers at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the bottom.
• In a medium bowl, combine the nondairy yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Transfer the yogurt mixture to the prepared sieve and gather up the cheesecloth or bag around the yogurt in a tight bundle. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and chill in the fridge for 24 hours.
• Discard the watery liquid that has drained into the bowl. The yogurt mixture will have thickened. Top it with lemon zest and pepper.