How to Make Traditional Norwegian Lefse

Lefse bakers vary as much as their recipes and techniques, but I have found that nothing is better than traditional techniques and recipes. This is a time consuming process but the results will make it all worth it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lefse Grill. (This is important because in order to properly bake your lefse, you must maintain a surface temperature of 500 degrees.)
• Lefse Stick/Turner
• Potato Ricer
• Canvas Pastry Cloth
• Rolling Pin
• Rolling Pin Cover/Sock
• Large Bowl
• 8 cups riced Russet Potatoes (about 20 medium potatoes)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 4+ cups of flour

1. Peel potatoes and boil until done. Drain and rice (mash) potatoes using the potato ricer into a large bowl. Potatoes should be riced twice for best consistency.

2. Add butter, cream and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight. It is very important that the lefse dough is completely cold and remains cold through the entire process.

3. Mix in 4 cups of flour and roll dough into balls a little bigger than golf balls. As you are making the dough balls, place them on a plate. When entire mixture has been balled, place plate in refrigerator and allow to chill again.

4. Preheat your grill to 500 degrees. In order for your lefse to turn out tender and browned to perfection, your grill should be at 500 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes before you start baking. (Be aware, your counter top will become hot during this process.)

5. Work flour into the canvas of your pastry mat. If there is not enough flour on your mat, your dough will stick. Only work with one ball at a time. Roll out ball with your covered rolling pin until it is paper thin. I roll until I can read the writing from my pastry mat through my lefse.

6. Slide your lefse stick under the rolled out dough and flip onto hot grill. Let bake for 30 seconds or so and flip using the stick. It is expected and desired to have some brown spots on the lefse. Bake another 30 seconds or less and remove from grill. Repeat with new ball. Working one dough ball at a time allows the grill to reheat to desired temperature.

7. Spread butter on lefse and sprinkle sugar (or your own topping choices). Roll or fold (your preference) and enjoy. Lefse is great fresh but it can be frozen. Make sure that you separate lefse with wax paper or you will just have a block of lefse when you thaw it out.

Tips & Warnings

• If your pastry mat gets a sticky spot during the rolling out of the balls, flour that spot and scrape it clean with the side of your lefse stick.
• Re-flour your pastry mat often as flour will push through the canvas while you work.
• You can buy a specially made lefse rolling pin. This is a grooved rolling pin that is supposed to prevent the dough from sticking to the pin. I have never used one myself.
• Be aware, your counter top will become hot during this process.