We’ve been popping reviews of previously unheralded Street Food menu items into our ‘daily spe-cials’ slot here at the FFB, lately. Today, it’s Hungary’s Langos – the country’s unofficial national dish… Call it a deep-fried pizza, you wouldn’t be far wrong!
Here’s an ancient and venerable European street food that both celebrates an ancient and (we think, unique) Hungarian tra-dition, while fitting like a new-stalgic hand into a puff pastry glove…
Fits the ‘newstalgia’ formula
It’s a perfect fit! As if the pizza was coming back from retro times with a few crucial differ-ences to update and elevate it…
First and foremost, the Langos is distinguished from the pizza by its lighter, puffier deep- or pan-fried crust.
Second, the Langos is topped/dressed after the crust is puffed to golden perfection.
Third, it’s equally valid and au-thentic to top the Langos ‘sweet’ or ‘savoury’, as you wish. Though savoury is more common.
Simple perfection
“Hungarian food, in my opinion, is so simple but so tasty. There are often not a lot of ingredients, but that doesn’t stop the food from being flavorful!” says The Foreign Fork’s truly authentic Central Euro-pean proprietor, .
“This Langos Recipe (pronounced ‘Langosh’) is the perfect example. While bread, sour cream, and cheese might not sound too exciting, combined they make one of the most popular street foods in all of Hungary.”
The dough is the deal…
While Langos has repeatedly been compared to pizza, it’s literally based on a markedly different crust.
Obviously, if you are making a sweet-topped Langos, leave the garlic out of the recipe. Use butter instead.
DO use the quick-rising yeast, whether you’re going sweet or savoury. It’s essential to make the crust light, puffy and a perfect blank flavour canvas for dressing as your imagination demands…
My take
One reviewer asked, ‘what would happen if a pizza and a doughnut had a baby?” It would be a Langos. The bread – though definitely a bit ‘hectic’ in form and finish – is undeniably related to the yeast-raised doughnut.
notes that Langos (or very close relatives) are also traditional in Greek and Turkish cuisine. It’s mainly the traditional toppings that differentiate each version from the others.
Give them all a try and see where your allegiance lands!
~ Maggie J.