Za'atar-Style Herb Labneh with Cucumbers and Pita

Steps

1. Line a fine sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean thin towel and set it over a deep bowl that fits in your refrigerator, so the bottom of the sieve sits well above the bowl.
2. Take the yogurt straight from the refrigerator, stir in the salt, spoon the yogurt into the lined sieve and fold the cloth over the top.
3. Cover the sieve and bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator right away. Let the yogurt strain in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below for 24 hours; keep it chilled the whole time and never strain it at room temperature. Cold straining lets the watery whey drip away while the yogurt's proteins stay behind as a thick, spreadable cheese.
4. Discard the whey (or save it, chilled, for another use). You should have about 450 g of labneh, enough for four servings of about 110 g, or roughly 1/2 cup each.
5. In a bowl, stir the garlic, cilantro, lemon juice and half the olive oil into the cold labneh until smooth.
6. In a small dish, rub the oregano and thyme between your fingers and mix with the sesame seeds to make a za'atar-style topping.
7. Spread the labneh in a shallow dish, drizzle with the remaining half of the olive oil, and scatter the herb-sesame topping over it.
8. Serve right away with the cucumber spears and pita wedges for scooping, or cover and keep the labneh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.