This traditional Hungarian deep fried flatbread can be found throughout the streets in Hungary. This yeast bread made with mashed potatoes is light, and fluffy, and topped with various savory or sweet ingredients. It is well known as a street food sold by vendors and street carts.
This popular flatbread is enjoyed for breakfast and topped with bacon or ham, various cheeses, and just plain. Many enjoy it as a snack when rubbed with garlic, ham, or bacon, sour cream, cheese, onions, or sausage. Leave a few for dessert, and simply coat with sugar and cinnamon.
Here I have created some variations that are both savory and sweet. I have added sour cream or goat cheese to some as a base, then topped with bacons and scallions, others with fresh chopped dill, grated cheese and parsley and fruit compote with a dollop of goat cheese. However you decide to create these, you will definitely find them absolutely delicious!
A FEW SUGGESTIONS WHEN MAKING THESE FLATBREADS
- Take your time whenever you are making a yeast bread or pastry, allow the time for the yeast to rise and the dough to double in size.
- Always treat the dough with care and love to get the best results.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes, that should be long enough for the dough to soften and not to form too much gluten
- Always place yeast bread or dough in a warm area
- Important that your mash potatoes remain warm. You don’t want cold potatoes added to the warm yeast milk mixture, it will reduce rising time for the dough and the yeast will not activate properly
- This fried flatbread is a fun recipe to add toppings of your choice, so have fun!
- Toppings: I added bacon with sour cream and green onions; sour cream and fresh dill; cranberry sauce, yogurt, and parsley; and parmesan cheese with parsley.
INGREDIENTS
- potatoes
- milk
- dry quick-rise yeast
- sugar
- all-purpose flour
- salt
Toppings: can vary and whether you want to enjoy this as a savory bread or sweet. I have given many suggestions to try.
WHEN MAKING THIS RECIPE
Potatoes will need to be cooked and mashed before adding to the dough; potatoes adds flavour, and substance to the yeast bread.
The yeast, sugar and milk will need to be combined and allowed to activate and foam before adding to the dry ingredients and mashed potatoes.
Once the ingredients are mixed then knead for 10 minutes and place in a warm area in your kitchen for one hour to allow the dough to rise.
Roll out dough and use a cookie cutter to cut into circles. Then you heat a skillet or fry pan and place the dough into the fry pan for about 20-30 seconds on each side. Remove with slotted spoon and lay on paper towel.
HOW TO MAKE THESE DELICIOUS FLATBREAD
Cook the potatoes, once mashed set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with one and half cups of flour, and salt into a coarse texture. I found once the dry ingredients are measured and the yeast has risen and is foamy, the potatoes don’t have the time to cool down. However, if you are using leftover mashed potatoes which I have done, then warm them in the microwave before adding to the flour mixture so they are not cold or set them out to room temperature for 20 minutes.
Once the yeast is foamed, then add it to the flour and potato mixture. If the dough is sticky, add some of the remaining flour until it is no longer sticky. Transfer dough on to the counter, and begin kneading. Knead for about 10 minutes and it will turn into this lovely smooth soft dough.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and softened. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with saran wrap and a towel. Set it in a warm area for about 1 hour until it doubles in size. Remove from bowl, and place on the counter and roll out the dough.
Have your oil ready and hot, up to 360 and 375 degrees F or 190 degrees Celsius. Roll out dough to about 1 cm (1/3 inch) thickness, and cut out circles. I will often add a small piece of dough to the oil to check if it’s ready, if you don’t have a thermometer. Fry for about 30-40 seconds then once it’s golden in colour on the edges and bubbles have formed, then turn over, and fry for 20-30 seconds to finish off. Place the flatbread on paper towels to absorb the oil and set aside.
There are various ways to enjoy these flatbreads. As a savory treat, add bacon, ham, sausage, sour cream, yogurt, green onions, parsley, dill, and cranberry sauce. As a sweet treat add cinnamon and sugar, jams, chocolate etc.
As a sweet treat, simply make dough as instructed and why not make them a little smaller and so you have 10-12 flatbreads and mix sugar and cinnamon together and roll the warm flatbread into the mixture or another option is place the sugar and cinnamon in a clean brown paper bag, add a couple of warm flatbreads at a time and gently toss the bag until they are coated. Then add a dollop of raspberry jam as a garnish. Yum!!
STORING
Best enjoyed when they are freshly fried. When they cool down, they will not be as crispy. You can warm them up in the microwave.
Once cooled, wrap them in saran wrap, ziplock bag or air tight container and leave them at room temperature for a day or two.
They can be placed in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Hungarian Fried Flatbread (Lángos)
Ingredients
- 3 organic medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup organic milk, warmed
- 2 tsp dry quick-rise yeast
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour (plus 1/2 cup if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping options:
- 1/2-1 cup cheddar cheese/parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup sour cream/yogurt
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
- 4 cured bacon, cut into strips and fried
- 4 tbsp green onion/chives/dill for garnishing
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp raspberry, strawberry, peach, apricot jams
Instructions
- In a medium pot, boil potatoes in salt water, over medium heat and cook them until they are tender. Then mash them with a hand beater or masher, set them aside to cool.
- Place milk in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to warm. Then combine yeast, and sugar into the warm milk. Set aside and allow the yeast to activate and foam, about 5-10 minutes. In a medium bowl, add 1½ cups of flour, salt, and mash potatoes and using a fork, combine the ingredients. Then add the yeast, and begin to knead the dough. If the dough is sticky, add some of the remaining half cup of flour until it is no longer sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes, then place in a greased bowl, cover with saran wrap, and towel. Set dough in a warm area of your kitchen and let it rise until double in size, approximately an hour.
- Roll out the dough on to a lightly floured surface to 1 cm (1/3 inch) thickness and cut into circles. Prick with a knife to keep big bubbles from forming.
- Heat oil in a fry pan, up to 360-375 degrees F or 190 degrees C. Make sure the oil is at least 1 inch (2.5cm) deep. Place in hot oil, fry for about 30-40 seconds, once you see bubbles forming and a golden colour on the edges, turn them over then fry for another 20-30 seconds, then remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel.
- Serve warm with toppings of your choice. Often served as a snack or with bean or lentil soup
Nutrition
However you decide to enjoy these Hungarian flatbreads, you will want to make them many times as a special treat to enjoy anytime of the year. In Canada, these are very similar to Beaver Tails, when you add sugar and cinnamon to them. Either way, enjoy!
We Loved it, nagyon!
We had much fun making this one, it turned out very good, igen köszönöm 👍
Amazing 10/10
Hello T Family,
I am so pleased you love the Hungarian Fried Bread.
Thank you so much for you rating and comments.
Nagyon szépen köszönjük
Rose