Lángos is a famous Hungarian fried bread that’s sold on street carts and vendors of Hungary. The classic snack is made with soft dough that is typically fried until golden and topped with a variety of ingredients.
Lángos (which is actually pronounced langosh) is a classic Hungarian recipe that is made from soft, round dough.
Origin & Cultural Significance
Lángos is fluffy and light in texture as it is made from yeasted dough. Others would also incorporate mashed potatoes in it to make krumplis Lángos (potato Lángos).
Lángos was named after the Hungarian word lang, which means flame. This is because Hungarians always bake at the front part of the oven, near the flame.
Traditionally Hungarians would bake bread with communal brick ovens. They would then save a piece of dough to bake in the morning for breakfast.
As time passed, this piece of dough evolved into a deep-fried snack that became a hit across the country. Lángos is not only famous in Hungary but also in Turkey, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Czech Republic, and Austria, which all have the similarities in their cuisine.
Lángos is also often dubbed as Hungarian pizza as you can use as many different kinds of toppings as you wish. After frying the dough, it is typically rubbed with garlic, a sprinkle of salt, and then toppings added of sour cream, sausages, eggs, ham, bacon, onion, kefir, yoghurt or cheese.
It can also be paired with soups or just on its own. It is recommended to eat freshly made langos as it becomes too mushy when it’s already cold.
Hungarian Lángos Recipe
Lángos is a famous Hungarian fried bread that’s sold on street carts and vendors of Hungary. The classic snack is made with soft dough that is typically fried until golden and topped with a variety of ingredients.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - 1.1 lb or 500g
- Milk - 200ml
- Instant yeast - 2 tbsp
- Sugar - 1 tsp
- Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
- Lukewarm water - 100ml
- Canola oil (for frying)
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- To dissolve the yeast, heat milk first on a saucepan until warm, then take the milk out of the heat. Add the sugar and yeast to the milk and place it in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Place the all-purpose flour and salt into a large bowl. Going back to the yeast mixture, add a tablespoon of lukewarm water and vegetable oil to it.
- Make a well to the dry ingredients, then pour the yeast mixture at the centre of the well you created. Start kneading the dough until all ingredients are mixed together.
- While you knead the dough, add a tablespoon of lukewarm water from time to time until it becomes a soft blistered dough.
- Shape the dough into a round, place it on a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Store it in a warm place for 30 to 60 minutes to let the dough rise.
- When the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured working surface with slightly oiled hands to shape the langos. Divide into four equal slices.
- Form the slices into circles about 7-inches in diameter with edges slightly thicker than the centre. Let the pieces rest and cover them with a kitchen towel for 20 more minutes.
- Heat the oil in a low-bottomed pot. Once the oil is hot, fry the langos one at a time.
- Fry each side for a minute or until golden in colour. Once done, take it out of the pot, let them drain on paper towels, then serve with any topping of your choice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1192Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 203gFiber: 10gSugar: 3gProtein: 34g