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Turkish Eggs with Lemon Labneh and Aleppo Chilli Butter
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Turkish Eggs with Lemon Labneh and Aleppo Chilli Butter

Creamy homemade lemon labneh, perfectly poached eggs, warm Aleppo chilli butter and crunchy dukkah are served with thick slices of toasted sourdough for scooping up every last bit.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Draining12 hours
Total Time12 hours 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch
Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish
Keyword: Aleppo Pepper, Brunch Recipes, Cilbir, Dukkah, Egg Recipes, Homemade Sourdough, Labneh, Mediterranean recipes, Poached Eggs, Pul Biber, Turkish Breakfast, Turkish Eggs, Weekend Brunch
Servings: 2
Calories: 750kcal
Cost: £5

Ingredients

Homemade Lemon Labneh

  • 250 g full-fat thick Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 small garlic clove crushed
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Dukkah

  • 15 g almonds
  • 10 g pumpkin seeds
  • 1½ tsp sesame seeds optional
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds optional
  • 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt
  • Good pinch smoked paprika
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Aleppo Chilli Butter

  • 25 g butter
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • Pinch of dried mint optional

To Serve

  • 200 g lemon labneh
  • 4 eggs
  • Dukkah
  • Aleppo chilli butter
  • 4 slices sourdough
  • Fresh parsley or mint chopped (optional)

Instructions

Homemade Lemon Labneh

  • Stir the sea salt through the yogurt.
  • Line a sieve with cheesecloth or kitchen paper and place over a bowl.
  • Spoon in the yogurt and leave to drain in the fridge for around 12 hours, or overnight in a cool kitchen.
  • Transfer the strained yogurt to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
    • 250 - 300g of Greek yogurt should produce around 200g labneh required for this recipe.
    To finish the labneh
    Just before serving, stir through the lemon zest and crushed garlic until smooth and evenly combined.

Dukkah

  • Toast the almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds (if using) until lightly golden.
  • Toast the whole spices separately for around a minute until fragrant.
  • Crush everything together using a pestle and mortar or pulse briefly in a food processor, keeping a coarse texture.
  • Stir through the smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
    • Will store for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

Aleppo Chilli Butter

  • Melt the butter and olive oil over a medium heat.
  • Once the butter is foaming, reduce the heat slightly and stir through the Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika.
  • Cook gently for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  • Remove from the heat and stir through the dried mint, if using.
  • Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • If making ahead, gently reheat over a low heat or in short bursts in the microwave until just melted before serving

To Serve

  • Griddle the sourdough until toasted and lightly charred.
  • Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer and poach the eggs to your liking.
  • Spread the labneh over two shallow bowls or plates.
  • Top each with two poached eggs.
  • Spoon over the warm Aleppo chilli butter.
  • Scatter generously with the dukkah and fresh herbs, if using.
  • Serve immediately with the warm sourdough for scooping up every last bit.
    • The labneh, dukkah and Aleppo chilli butter can all be made up to three days ahead. Mix the lemon zest and garlic into the labneh just before serving.
    Short on time? Mix 200g thick Greek yogurt with the garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt instead of making labneh.
    Dukkah is equally delicious sprinkled over salads, roasted vegetables or hummus.
    Serve with extra Aleppo pepper flakes if you enjoy a little more warmth.
    Aleppo pepper flakes are also sold as pul biber or Turkish pepper. They have a mild, fruity warmth rather than intense heat, making them perfect for this recipe.

Notes

Nutritional value and cost are only guidelines based on ingredients I used.