Lángos (Hungarian lángos)

Instructions

1. Peel the potato, cut it into pieces and cook it in salted boiling water for 15 minutes until it crumbles easily. Drain, keeping 100 ml of cooking water, then mash it finely with a fork or potato masher.
2. In a small bowl, mix the lukewarm milk, the still-warm cooking water, the sugar and the yeast, then leave to rest for 5 minutes until the surface foams slightly.
3. In a large bowl, put the flour and salt, then add the still-warm mashed potato. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until you get a soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough.
4. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
5. Divide the dough into 4 balls. Stretch each one by hand into a disc about 1 cm thick and 18 cm across, keeping the centre slightly thicker. Let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Heat the frying oil in a large pan to 180 °C. Fry the flatbreads one at a time for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and puffed.
7. Drain them on kitchen paper. Rub the still-hot surface with a garlic clove cut in half.
8. Spread the cream over each lángos, sprinkle with grated cheese, add the parsley if using, and serve straight away.