Mediterrane Langos (Mediterranean-style langos)

Method

1. Combine the flour, yeast, water and salt into a rough dough. Knead for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 60 minutes, until doubled.
2. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Stretch each by hand into a thin, roughly round shape, about 5 mm thick, using your fingers rather than a rolling pin.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pot to a moderate frying temperature, around 175 to 180°C.
4. Fry each langos for about 2 minutes per side, until puffed with visible blistered pockets and golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
5. While still warm, rub each langos with the cut side of the garlic clove.
6. Top with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta, red onion, a drizzle of olive oil and oregano.

Notes

• Stretch the dough by hand rather than rolling it. A rolling pin compresses the air bubbles built up during proofing; hand-stretching preserves them, which is what gives a proper langos its light, blistered texture when fried.
• Fry at a moderate temperature, not very hot. Too hot browns the outside before the dough has puffed properly; too cool and it absorbs oil and turns greasy instead of light.
• Rub the garlic on while the langos is still warm. The heat releases the garlic’s oils onto the surface far more effectively than rubbing it on cold bread.
• Best eaten immediately, topped fresh; langos doesn’t hold well once fried.

Ingredient substitutions

• Feta, cucumber and tomato can be swapped for any Mediterranean-style topping combination.
• The classic Hungarian topping is sour cream and grated cheese, if you want the traditional version instead.
• A pinch of chili flakes over the top adds a little heat.