Hungarian Langos: Crispy Fried Flatbread with Garlic Butter, Sour Cream and Cheese

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk, mashed potato and 2 tablespoons oil and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm milk
• 1/2 cup (120 g) mashed boiled potato (about 1 medium potato), cooled
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus about 4 cups (1 liter) for frying
• 4 tablespoons (55 g) butter, melted
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) grated cheese such as Trappista, Edam or mild Cheddar
• Flaky salt and chopped fresh dill, to finish

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk, mashed potato and 2 tablespoons oil and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
2. Knead on an oiled counter for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and springy. Return to the oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, stir the grated garlic into the melted butter with a pinch of salt and set aside to steep. Set out the sour cream and grated cheese.
4. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, cover loosely and rest for 15 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
5. Pour the frying oil into a wide, deep skillet to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) and heat to 350 F (175 C).
6. Oil your hands, take one ball of dough and stretch it from the center outward into a rough 8-inch (20 cm) round, keeping the rim slightly thicker than the middle. It should be thin enough to see light through the center.
7. Lower the dough into the hot oil and fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until puffed, golden and blistered. Lift out with tongs and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches.
8. While each langos is hot, brush generously with the garlic butter, spread with a few spoonfuls of sour cream and shower with grated cheese so it starts to melt. Finish with flaky salt and dill.
9. Cut into wedges to share, or serve whole, Budapest style, folded in half and eaten with your hands while it is still crackling hot.
10. Langos is the beloved street food of Hungary, sold from steaming stalls at every market, fairground and lakeside beach, and especially at the autumn harvest festivals that fill the calendar from September to November. The name comes from lang, meaning flame, because it was originally baked next to the fire in a bread oven on baking day. Frying came later and made it the crisp, chewy, garlic-slicked treat it is today. The traditional topping is simply garlic, sour cream and cheese, which is still the one most Hungarians swear by.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 545 kcal
• Protein: 16g
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 620mg