Bread Machine (161 page)

During the last 15 minutes the pitas are resting, place a baking stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat it to 450°F.

Transfer the circles to the baking sheet; 5 will fit on one pan. Bake, one pan at a time, directly on the hot stone. Do not open the oven door for a full 4 minutes, as the puffing begins almost immediately as the steam pushes the two halves of the bread apart. Watch carefully that the pitas do not overbake or burn. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until fully puffed, like a pillow, and just light brown, not dark. Remove the puffed hot breads with a wide metal spatula and stack between clean kitchen towels to keep soft.

LÁNGOS      
Makes 12 individual flatbreads

O
n baking days in Hungary, leftover bread dough gets divided into fist-sized pieces and flattened into thin rounds, as the Hungarians saw the Turks do during the Turkish occupation. A staple bread served with bean soups or goulash meat stews
, lángos
(pronounced langosh) took on its own Hungarian touch with slash marks here and there, fried and rubbed with garlic before eating. This version, made with a potato dough, is a recipe given to me by a relative, Erin Kovacs, which she translated from her mother-in-law’s Hungarian cookbook. Sprinkle the flatbread with garlic powder while it is hot, and serve with bowls of cold sour cream and grated Parmesan on the side for piling onto the bread.

1
¹
/
₂
- OR 2-POUND-LOAF MACHINES

1 medium russet potato (about
¹
/
₂
pound)

2 cups water

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

Large pinch of sugar

Large pinch of salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast
   or 2
¹
/
₂
teaspoons bread machine yeast

Canola oil for frying

Garlic powder or salt-free garlic seasoning blend, for sprinkling

Slice the potato and place in a saucepan with the water (do not peel). Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, then peel the potato. Mash or rice the potato and set aside to cool. Measure out
³
/
₄
cup of the potato water (discard any extra) and cool to about 90°F or room temperature.

Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the potato and the
³
/
₄
cup potato water as the liquid ingredients. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, press Stop and unplug the machine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half. Divide each half into 6 equal portions and form each into a ball. Place the balls of dough on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

On a lightly floured work surface, flatten each ball, then pull to a 6-inch rough circle. Hungarian bakers never roll the dough. It will be a bit larger than the size of the palm of your hand. With a small sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 small slits, 1 to 1
¹
/
₂
inches long, like the spokes of a wheel, around the round. Pull to open the slits. Place on the baking sheet. Shape the remaining dough balls. Dust with flour and loosely cover again. Let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.

Line another baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. Fill a deep skillet or Dutch oven with 112 inches of canola oil. Heat the oil until it measures 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer. The oil must be very hot to fry the breads properly. Transfer a
lángos
into the fat with a metal spatula, top side down first; you will probably be able to cook 2 at once. Fry, turning once, for a total of 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully lift from the oil with the spatula, let drain a moment, and then place on the paper towels. Repeat with the remaining breads. Sprinkle with the garlic powder while hot. Serve warm or at room temperature.

             Lángos can be stored in plastic bags for a day at room temperature, and reheated before serving. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and warm in a preheated 350°F oven, 8 to 10 minutes.

SWEET LOAVES

Chocolate, Fruit, and
Other Sweet Breads

Breakfast Breads

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Dutch Sugar Loaf

Maple Oatmeal Bread

Old-Fashioned Raisin Bread

C.R.O.W.W.

Greek Currant Bread

Prune and Poppy Seed Bread

Cranberry—Golden Raisin Bread with Cardamom

Banana Oatmeal Bread with Macadamia Nuts

Orange Bread with White Chocolate, Apricots, and Walnuts

Cinnamon-Apple-Pecan Bread

Cranberry-Pumpkin Bread

Orange-Cinnamon Bread

Persimmon Bread

Italian Lemon-Ricotta Bread

Pan d’Angiol (Bread of the Angels)

Spicy Pear Bread

Dried Apricot Whole Wheat Bread

Granola Bread

Coffee Cakes and Sweet Rolls