Garlicky and Crispy Lángos (Hungarian Fried Bread) Recipe

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Langos, a fried yeasted bread, is a Hungarian street food that is sure to make your mouth water! It comes piping hot, after deep frying, then loaded with a simple combination of garlic oil, sour cream, and cheese! Of course, there are other toppings available, but this langos recipe provides you with a simple, traditional version.

What Is Hungarian Langos and Why You'll Love It

Although its origins are a little blurry, langos has been mentioned in Hungarian literature as early as the 14th century. It is a Hungarian fried dough dish typically served with sour cream, cheese, and garlic. Other toppings that are sometimes used include ham, sausage, bacon, onions, and mushrooms. It can also be found in other parts of Central Europe. 

Langos is made from a simple dough of flour, water, yeast, and salt. The dough is kneaded until smooth, then allowed to rise for about an hour. Once the dough has risen, it's rolled out into thin circles and fried in hot oil until golden brown.

These days, it's a popular street food snack all over the country. It's great for anyone looking for a simple and affordable snack. In Budapest, this is the number one option for a late-dining drunk snack or morning-after hangover meal in the city!

Ingredients  

You need a few ingredients and a bit of time (more on that later) for this langos recipe.

• Flour
• Milk
• Water
• Active Dry Yeast
• Sugar
• Salt
• Garlic
• Shredded Cheese
• Neutral Oil
• Sour Cream

Substitutes

• Cheese: I prefer to use mozzarella since it is mild and makes a great accompaniment to the strong flavor of grated garlic. But feel free to change up the cheese to your preference.
  

• Sour Cream: A thick, high-fat content sour cream works great for langos (it's a treat!) but you can also use cream cheese.
  

• Yeast: You can use any type of yeast available in your kitchen, just make sure to adjust the amount and resting time based on what kind you end up using.

Equipment You'll Need

In addition to a large mixing bowl, you'll need some special items to make Hungarian fried bread. 

• Food Frying Thermometer: You'll need to specify how hot oil needs to be for frying.
  
  
• Shallow Frying Pot: You can use a flattened pan, but if you want to truly deep fry, you'll need a shallow pan with a bit higher walls.

Recipe Tips

• Give it Time: Give the langos dough time to completely rise in a lightly humid and warm environment based on the recommended proofing time. The end product will be a beautiful crispy, yet chewy texture.
  
  
• Get Wet: Use water (not oil!) to wet your hands so you can handle the yeasted dough more precisely. Damp hands will not stick to the dough, just be careful not to splash water into your heated oil!

How to Make Hungarian Langos 

Remember when I said you'd need some ingredients and time on your hands? Here is what you'll do and why you need to set aside time:

1. Activate yeast in a bowl of warm milk, and sugar for ten minutes.
2. Add flour to a large bowl, then add salt and sugar.
3. Mix the dry ingredients, then add water to it.
4. Add the activated yeast to the bowl as well.
5. Cover and let it sit for forty minutes or until double in size.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan and add some of the proofed dough to fry.
7. Fry each side until golden brown.
8. Top with garlic oil, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

How to Serve

Serve langos immediately after cooking. It's best when it is still very crispy and warm. You can have it plain and add whatever topping you'd like to it.