Lángos — Hungarian Fried Dough

About This Recipe

Lángos (pronounced LAHN-gosh) is Hungary's iconic street food, sold at every market, fair and lakeside resort in the country: a large, flat disc of yeasted dough deep-fried until golden, puffy and slightly chewy, then topped with sour cream (tejföl) and grated cheese while still sizzling. The name comes from 'láng' (flame), as the original lángos was baked directly on the embers of a wood fire. Modern lángos is always fried and always topped at minimum with sour cream and cheese — though garlic butter, ham, mushrooms and countless other toppings are also popular. Eating a fresh lángos standing at a market stall on a cold day is one of Central Europe's great simple pleasures.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gplain flour
• 7 g sachetfast-action yeast
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonsugar
• 300 mlwarm milk or water
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil(for dough)
• 1 litrevegetable oil(for frying)
• 200 mlsour cream (tejföl)
• 100 ghard cheese(grated (trappista or cheddar))
• 2 clovesgarlic(optional, rubbed on)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add warm milk and oil. Knead for 8 minutes to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and prove for 1 hour until doubled.

2. 2

   Shape

   Divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly oiled surface, stretch each piece by hand into a rough oval about 5mm thick and 20cm across. The irregular shape is part of the appeal.

3. 3

   Deep fry

   Heat oil to 170°C. Lower one lángos carefully into the oil. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. The lángos will puff and float. Drain briefly on paper towels.

   Do not overcrowd — fry one at a time for best results.

4. 4

   Top and serve immediately

   While hot, rub with a cut garlic clove if desired. Spread generously with sour cream. Top with grated cheese. Eat immediately — lángos are best within minutes of frying.

Variations

• •

  Garlic lángos: rub with raw garlic and drizzle with garlic butter.

• •

  Ham and cheese lángos: add sliced ham under the cheese.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Cannot be stored once made — eat immediately. Uncooked shaped dough can refrigerate for up to 4 hours before frying.

Frequently Asked Questions