Jeffery's Norwegian Lefse
As a child, Lefse was a special treat for the holidays. I still make it every holiday season. My family and friends eat ours with butter and sugar or with Loganberry jam.
As a child, Lefse was a special treat for the holidays. I still make it every holiday season. My family and friends eat ours with butter and sugar or with Loganberry jam.
- Carbohydrate 82.3013742152924 g
- Cholesterol 18.0948173333333 mg
- Fat 7.22667631613235 g
- Fiber 7.21185162266425 g
- Protein 9.79083775424545 g
- Saturated Fat 4.331846296691 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (335g)
- Sodium 782.34839962612 mg
- Sugar 75.0895225926281 g
- Trans Fat 0.625193762444574 g
- Calories 425 calories
Step-by-step
- Place potatoes into a pot and fill with enough water to cover.
- Add salt to the water if you wish.
- Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain and run the hot potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl.
- Beat butter, cream, salt, and sugar into the hot riced potatoes.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Stir flour into the potato mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Use your hands to pull off pieces of the dough and form into walnut size balls.
- Lightly flour a pastry cloth and roll out lefse balls to 1/8 inch thickness or thinner.
- Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, as you roll out each portion.
- Adding too much flour can make the lefse tough so be careful.
- Heat a lefse grill.
- Or Cook on a hot (400 degree F/200 C) griddle.
- Cook one at a time until the lefse are golden brown with darker brown bubbles on each side, flipping over once.
- Use a flat lefse turner if you have one.
- Stack finished lefse on a plate or tray and cover with a tea towel to keep them from drying out.
- Once the lefse are completely cool, wrap in plastic to keep it moist.
Potatoes do the heavy lifting in this flatbread, acting as the primary source of structure and moisture. Selecting a high-starch russet potato prevents the dough from becoming dense or watery. Process the cooked potatoes through a ricer while steaming hot to eliminate lumps without developing excess gluten through overworking. Incorporating melted butter and whipping cream adds necessary fat to soften the starch molecules. Chilling the dough overnight hydrates the flour thoroughly and firms the butter, making the sticky mixture manageable for rolling.
Rolling and High-Heat Cooking
Roll portions of dough on a heavily floured pastry cloth to an eighth-inch thickness. Dust off excess flour before transferring the round to a hot griddle operating at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook until distinct brown bubbles appear on the surface, then flip once. Stack the finished rounds beneath a clean tea towel immediately to trap steam and maintain pliability.Storage and Dietary Adaptations
Cool the flatbread completely before sealing in plastic wrap to prevent condensation. Store wrapped lefse in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze them for longer preservation. While traditional preparation relies on dairy fats and all-purpose flour, plant-based margarine and cream substitutes integrate successfully into the potato mash without altering structural integrity.
