Today we're heading to the heart of Central Europe — Hungary, a country where paprika reigns supreme and every dish warms the soul. We're cooking two iconic recipes Hungarians have adored since childhood.
🍞 Lángos
Golden fried flatbread made from yeasted dough with a crispy crust outside and airy texture inside. Classically served with sour cream and grated cheese — this is Hungary's number one street food.
Ingredients:
• All-purpose flour — 500 g
• Warm milk — 250 ml
• Dry yeast — 7 g (1 packet)
• Sugar — 1 tsp
• Salt — 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil for dough — 2 tbsp
• Vegetable oil for frying — 500 ml
• Garlic — 2-3 cloves
• Sour cream — 200 g
• Hard cheese, grated — 150 g
Preparation:
In a deep bowl, mix warm milk (37-40°C), yeast, and sugar. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes — a puffy foam cap 1-1.5 cm high should appear on the surface.
Sift flour into a large bowl, add salt, pour in the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Knead a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead by hand for 8-10 minutes — the dough should become elastic, smooth, and stop tearing when stretched.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours. The dough should double in volume and slowly spring back when pressed lightly with a finger.
Divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts (80-100 g each). Roll each part into a ball, cover with a towel, and let rest for 15 minutes — the balls will become more pliable.
On a lightly oiled surface, stretch each ball by hand into a round flatbread 15-18 cm in diameter and 5-7 mm thick. Make several holes in the center with a fork to prevent a large bubble from forming during frying.
In a deep skillet or pot, heat oil to 170-180°C (when you drop in a piece of dough, it should immediately float with active sizzling). Carefully lower the flatbread into the oil and fry for 1.5-2 minutes on each side — the surface should become golden-brown with toasted spots.
Place the finished lángos on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Rub the hot flatbread with a cut garlic clove, generously spread with sour cream, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately while the flatbread is hot and crispy.
💡 Fact: The name 'lángos' comes from the Hungarian word 'láng' (flame), because originally this dough was baked directly in the oven over an open fire. Today lángos is the main symbol of Hungarian fairs and the beaches of Lake Balaton.
🍖 Veal Paprikash (Borjúpaprikás)
Tender pieces of veal in a velvety creamy paprika sauce of rich red-orange color. The dish has a delicate sweet flavor with a hint of heat — a classic of Hungarian home cooking.
Ingredients:
• Veal (shoulder or neck) — 800 g
• Large yellow onions — 2
• Sweet Hungarian paprika — 3 tbsp
• Hot paprika — 0.5 tsp
• Sour cream 20% — 200 ml
• Flour — 1 tbsp
• Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
• Butter — 40 g
• Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
• Broth (or water) — 400 ml
• Salt — to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper — 0.5 tsp
Preparation:
Cut the veal into 3×3 cm cubes, removing membranes and large fat layers. Pat the meat dry with paper towels — it must be absolutely dry for proper searing. Peel the onions and dice finely into 3-4 mm pieces.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the mixture of butter and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon — the onion should become completely translucent, soft, and slightly golden at the edges, but not brown.
Remove the pot from heat and immediately add the sweet and hot paprika, stir quickly. Return to minimum heat and cook for 30-40 seconds, stirring continuously — the paprika should release its aroma, but under no circumstances should it burn (otherwise it will become bitter).
Increase heat to high, add the veal pieces, and sear for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally — the meat should turn white on all sides and release juices. Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in hot broth, add salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to minimum, cover, and braise for 50-60 minutes — the meat should become so tender it easily separates with a fork, and the sauce should thicken and develop a rich red-orange color.
In a small bowl, mix sour cream with flour until smooth (no lumps). 5 minutes before the end of braising, pour the sour cream mixture into the pot in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes — the sauce should become velvety, creamy, coating the spoon.
Taste and add more salt if needed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes — the flavors will fully meld. Serve with Hungarian dumplings (nokedli) or boiled potatoes, generously drizzled with sauce.
💡 Fact: Borjúpaprikás is considered a more refined version of classic pörkölt — thanks to the tender veal and sour cream, the dish turns out more delicate and suitable even for a festive table. In Hungarian families, it's traditionally cooked on Sundays.