Lángos
Hungary's golden fried bread, rubbed with garlic and piled with sour cream and cheese. Learn why yeast and screaming-hot oil make lángos so airy.
The story behind
The dough is yeasted, and that is what sets it apart from a plain fritter. As it ferments it fills with gas bubbles that expand the instant they hit hot oil, producing a chewy, airy interior beneath a crackling crust. The oil must be properly hot so the surface seals quickly and the dough soaks up as little fat as possible; lukewarm oil yields a greasy, heavy result instead of a light one.
Straight from the fryer it is rubbed with raw garlic and topped with sour cream and grated cheese, the most classic version of all. The residual heat barely melts the cheese, the sour cream brings a cool tang, and the raw garlic delivers the sharp, pungent hit that makes a fairground lángos unmistakable.
Instructions
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1Mix the yeast with warm water and sugar, letting it sit for about 10 minutes until it gets frothy.
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2In a large bowl, combine flour and salt, then pour in the yeast mixture. Knead until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
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3Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
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4With oiled hands, pull off pieces of dough and stretch them into thin rounds, leaving the edges slightly thicker.
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5Fry each round in hot oil until they are golden brown on both sides.
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6As soon as they come out of the oil, rub some of that crushed garlic oil over the top for the classic kick.
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7Spread a generous layer of sour cream over the bread and top it with a mountain of shredded cheese. Eat it while it's hot!
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