How to Make Norwegian Lefse

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By fionayb
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Lefse are to the Norwegians what the tortilla is to Mexicans. Once considered very much Nordic peasant food, this version of potato bread is very much a delicacy among Norwegian-Americans. Although you can buy them in specialty stores, there's no substitute for homemade. Read on to learn how to make Norwegian lefse.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

4 lbs. of potatoes
2 tbs. heavy cream
3 tbs. butter
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
A potato ricer

Step 1

Peel and slice the potatoes. Cut into chunks. Place in a pan of water and boil until tender.
Step 2

Drain the potatoes and run them through a potato ricer.
Step 3

In a large bowl, mix the hot potatoes with the butter, cream, salt and sugar. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Step 4

Stir the flour into the potato mix. Form small balls of dough (about the size of a walnut). Roll each ball of dough to form a thin circle.
Step 5

Cook each lefse on a hot griddle until bubbles form on the surface and each side has turned golden brown.

Tips & Warnings

When making a large number of lefse, keep them on a plate under a damp towel to keep them moist until you are ready to serve them.
You can use any type of potato in this recipe. However, different potatoes will produce a different result depending upon their starch content. Yukon Gold potatoes may be a good starter.
The most basic (and popular) way to serve lefse is to eat them with butter and a sprinkling of sugar. You might also want to try them rolled up and filled with jam.
Although you could try substituting margarine and milk for the butter and cream, why would you want to? It's supposed to be a good thick, rich recipe.