Hungary is a country in the heart of Europe with culinary delights that are often very different than its neighbors. And as you walk the streets across the country, you keep feeling this one scent that just can’t go unnoticed and seems to be present everywhere- the unmistakable aroma of lángos. By definition langos is a street food snack but in reality, it’s so much more. Curious? Keep reading, in this article, we’ll introduce you to the traditional langos recipe and teach you everything there is to know about this Hungarian street food delight.
But first things first…
What Is Langos?
Ito put it in the simplest terms possible, mangos is a combination of a pizza and a doughnut with a Hungarian touch. In its essence, it’s a delicious deep-fried flatbread and cultural icon of Hungary’s culinary scene. Something like zapiekanka is in Poland, Karjalanpiirakka in Finland or placinta in Romania and Moldova.
The bread is made from water or milk, yeast, and flour, it’s deep-fried, has a distinctive golden color, and a crunchy texture. It can be dressed in various toppings, ranging from the classic garlic, sour cream, and cheese combo to more modern twists like grated cheese, sausages, or even a sautéed veggies (but more about this below).
Origins
The origin story of lángos goes back to medieval Hungary, but the original recipe included baking the bread instead of frying it. It was prepared in large communal ovens, up to 80 pounds of dough at a time. Fast forward to the early 20th century and someone thought it would be a good idea to deep fry this beloved bread instead of baking it and boy, were they right.
Some say the name, lángos, which literally means “flamed”, a reference to the heat of the communal ovens. But between you, me, and the fryer, it doesn’t matter how it got its name. What matters is that thanks to Hungary, we have this incredibly delicious snack that you simply must try if visiting this beautiful country.
Langos Recipe Variations
Its classic form features a crispy, deep-fried dough smothered in garlic, sour cream, and cheese, but over time, the lángos recipe has developed several different variations and here are some of the most popular ones.
Over by the Transylvanian border, you can find variations of the bread with ham or sausage toppings.
Meanwhile, in some places in Hungary, you might also find sweet lángos, topped with jam and powdered sugar, perfect for people with the sweet tooth.
The dough itself isn’t exempt from creativity; the traditional recipe only uses water, but in some places you can find mangos with a milk-based dough.
And for the health-conscious people out there, baked lángos, which arguably is the original recipe, is still out there in many places in Hungary.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our guide to Serbian food and Serbian pastries.
Preparation Tips
- The Right Foundation is key. You need a mix of flour, yeast, water, a pinch of salt, a bit of love and a healthy dose of patience.
- Kneading: Don’t refrain from putting some elbow grease into kneading that dough.
- Let it Rise: Give your dough enough time to rest before it’s ready for its golden transformation.
- Variations: Once fried to golden perfection, the world (or rather, Hungary) is your oyster, so feel free to experiment.
- Serving Tip: Fold your lángos in half, making a semi-circle, like a taco before taking a bite.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our kifli recipe and our trdelnik recipe.
Serving
When it comes to serving, lángos is a standalone dish, but of course, there are good pairing options, like for example, a cool cucumber salad with tangy vinegar dressing, or if you want something more traditional, a side of Hungarian goulash, sarma, or sataras, complements mangos perfectly. Thirsty? The locals might nudge you towards a cold Hungarian beer, a perfect palate cleanser but you can also go for a glass of sweet Tokaji, wine, kompot, or an elderflower cordial.
A Few Things You May Need
Mixing Bowls
Skillet
Rolling Pin
How did you like our langos recipe? Did you try to make it at home? If so, don’t forget to leave us a rating and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.
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