Recipe: Lefse
November 10, 2007
saramason
Tags: christmas, holidays, lefse, norwegian, recipe, scandinavian, thanksgiving
Prepare 4 cups instant potatoes (usually as 8 servings on the box of “potato flakes”) using about 1/3 c more potato flakes to make it a bit drier than normal.
Then add:
1/3 c heavy sweet whipping cream
1/2 c shortening
Mix and chill several hours or overnight.
Heat griddle to 450 degrees. Add 2 c flour and 1 tspsalt to potato dough. Shape into 4 long rolls, refrigerating 3 of them. Cut 1 roll into 4 pieces.
Using a well-floured pastry cloth and rolling pin with cover, roll each piece flat (as thin as you dare!). Lift from cloth using a lefse stick and grill, flipping after it starts to brown (looks like a tortilla). Don’t leave rolled lefse on the cloth very long, it absorbs the moisture and starts to stick. Take each dough ball off or finish rolling and remove before doing anything else, like answering the phone! Cool lefse completely, then refrigerate or freeze. It’ll keep fresh for a few days in the fridge.
Top generously with butter and suger, cut into quarters and roll. I’ll post a picture after we make some at Thanksgiving!
Entry Filed under: Cooking and Cleaning
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1. Fun Monday: Holiday Tradi&hellip | November 10, 2007 at 8:16 am
[...] Lefse is flatbread made from potato, milk, cream and flour, and cooked on a griddle. Each of the girls in my family “earned” a griddle as a wedding gift when we got married, so this I know how to make. You spread it with lots of butter and sugar for a rich treat, although it’s considered a side dish, not a desert! [...]
2.
writinggb | December 8, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Hmmm. Never made it with instant potatoes. Does that really taste as good as with real potatoes? It’d be nice to have a shortcut, but I think my grandma would roll over in her grave if I made it with instant :-)
3.
saramason | December 8, 2007 at 1:47 pm
I understand! I still have some guilt over making lefse with the instant, lol. But, honestly, I like it better! At least it is easier for me to make it the way I like it: super thin and delicate. When my mom makes it with real potatoes, they always are much denser and potato-y. But that may just be the way she does it, too. If you think the real potatoes can be done just as yummy, let me know, because I should probably try it.
4.
writinggb | December 9, 2007 at 8:24 am
Yes, mine are thin and delicious. I think the trick is that I “rice” the potatoes to ensure a fluffy consistency in the mashed potatoes. I also use a pastry cloth on the rolling board and a rolling pin cover to ensure no sticking. That way I can roll them thinner.
I have a few posts on my blog about lefse making with descriptions of how I do it.
It’s good to know the instant can work well in a pinch, though!