Monday, November 1, 2010

Lefse... it's what's for Dinner!

Lefse! Have you ever had it? Heard of it? Wanted to try it?

It's a Norwegian/Scandinavian thing. Always around during the Holidays.. YUMMY!! It looks a lot like a tortilla - but it's made from potatos.

I have wanted to make it myself for quite a few years now. But getting all the 'equipement' is harder than I thought. Buying it all new is too expensive for my thrifty blood. So I've been on the hunt at garage sales, used stores.. etc. Still no luck!

So I borrowed the griddle from a friend - she shamefully uses it just for pancakes *gasp*!!

The recipe is from my Sister in Law's - Mother in Law (did you follow that?). It is by far the best lefse I've ever tried!!

Some of the other equipment (besides the griddle) needed are as follows:
Grooved Rolling Pin
Pastry cloth and stocking for the Rolling Pin
Long Tapered stick for turning the lefse
brush for cleaning flour off the griddle between baking.

Now the only thing I actually have is the griddle - but like I said it's borrowed (and she needs it back this weekend). The rest.. I just improvised.

Here are the ingredients that you need:
 8 Cups Potatoes (mashed)
2/3 cup Mazola Corn Oil
2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Carnation Milk
3/4 cup Sugar
3 cups Flour

Start by boiling your potatos in water. Then mash them. Measure out 8 cups and place into a bowl.

Then add the Oil, Salt, Milk and Sugar.
 Allow this mixture to cool completely. Or leave in fridge over night.

 When ready to bake - add your 3 cups of flour and work in with your hands.

Then scoop out a ball and roll out on a floured surface. The size of the ball depends on how big you want each piece of lefse to be. Try to roll as thin as possible.

Also - cold dough is easier to work with so keep in the fridge if you need to.

 Next, place on a hot griddle. I found that 350 degrees worked the best for me. The griddle is dry - no oil of any kind on the griddle. Lefse is baked, not fried.

If you see bubbles - gently poke them to let the air out.

 When bottom is slightly browned.. flip

 When both sides are browned - remove and allow to cool.

But if you are like me.. you can't wait and you spread the butter on while it's warm.


Then sprinkle with sugar.. roll...
 I like to cut mine in half...

 And eat.. Ooooohh.. it's so GOOD!!!!

Making lefse is worth all the work involved.. trust me!

Lefse freezes well. In fact, some lefse lovers claim it's best when frozen and thawed.

There are recipes calling for instant potatoes, but lefse purists consider this blasphemy. Some lefse lovers consider eating lefse with brown or white sugar blasphemy, too. There are many ways to eat it - and everyone thinks that the way they eat it is the only way it should be eaten. And I'm one of those people. I firmly believe that it should be eaten with Butter and White Sugar only!!

But if you are even considering going to the trouble of making your own, you already know how you like it! Pin It

19 comments:

Marie said...

two words .... raspberry jam!!!

Synnove said...

Hi!
I just HAD to leave a comment for you, being a Norwegian...
Lefse is a 100% Norwegian food!
We use it for holidays and as a snack together with coffee, but for lots of other things too.
Originally, lefse was made at farms every autumn or closer to Christmas, and there were women travelling around from farm to farm making them.
We don't use oil in them, but butter. It's also nice to use buttermilk in them, but there are soooo mny ways to prepare lefse. For the poor in the old days, they were made with only potatoes and flour.
We spread butter on them and sprinkle sugar over too, it is sooo yummy! But we use a Norwegian speciality called "browncheese" a lot too. It is a sweet caramelized cheese. You can eat every type of food on lefse, not just the sweet things:-)
Sorry about the looooong comment, it's really nice to see that Norwegian traditions are beeing used so far away:-)
Big hugs from Synnove!

Synnove said...

Oh, I forgot... Instant potatoes? NO NO NO! Never ever heard of it;-)

KP said...

Ooo yummy! It sounds like a sweetened version of potato farls; a northern Irish tradition and a favourite of mine.

Jan said...

My Mom's family is 100% Norwegian, so we had Lefse, usually at Christmas. Not one of us has continued the tradition.

Needled Mom said...

My husband's family is all Swedish and I have heard of them before. I will have to try it.

Weatherbee ;) said...

So funny to see a post about lefse! My family is Norwegian and we make and eat lefse and other Norwegian favorites every year, mostly around the holidays. Lefse has always been my favorite! It's a toughy to make, especially to Grandma's ultra-thin lefse standards! But so good. Love it with butter and brown sugar! :)

~Teresa :)

gale said...

oh that looks so good. My dad is Norwegian so we've had plenty of Lefse but it's been a long time. Years. I should try to make some.

FeatherDuster said...

Having had two Norwegian grandfathers, this is something I definitely grew up eating at Christmas time :) Yum! I learned how to make it many years ago and use my great-grandmother's recipe. I put the potatoes through a ricer, and use butter (not oil) and scalded cream, and cook it in a dry cast iron skillet.
I will be making lefse for Christmas and hopefully some of it will survive to go into the freezer (but it's just too good, so probably not)

pinsandneedles said...

Yay for lefse! My husband was born and raised in Norway and we love lefse (and plenty of other Norwegian favorites)! Yes, we do have all the equipment you talk about for making lefse. I will have to try your recipe. We also like it with butter and sugar but also with gjetost (Norwegian brown goat's cheese as Synnove suggested.) Yum!

Kim said...

Oooooooh! I just LOVE the Lefse! Your's looks delicious, Heidi. :-D

Oddbjørg said...

Hi,
I can see that Synnøve has told you about the Norwegian lefse. There are many different recipies -some of them doesn't use potatoes at all. I use to bake lefse once a year - 2 different kinds. The whole family think it's delicious :-)

Melody said...

This looks and sounds so yummy. I adore anything with potatoes, so I'll have to try this. Thanks for sharing

Life on 4th Ave said...

May I just say that Lefse is my number one favorite food EVER! It's best very thin and warm off the griddle. butter and sugar!! mmmm. I can't wait for Christmas so I can have some!!

quiltmom anna said...

Heidi,
My mother, who is of Swedish descent, helps a Norwegian Women's group to make Lefse every fall for their annual bake and craft sale. I do not know how many they make but it is alot.
They also make a tubular shell cookie that I have forgotten the name and sell lots of those too.
I have never eaten one- perhaps one day.
Regards,
Anna

SheilaC said...

hmmmmm.

Thanks for the memory of my grandma in Minnesota....

There are places you can buy lefse on line, but I have never tried it....

SheilaC

Anonymous said...

Oh my GOSH - Can I come over....I have the utensils that my Gma used and the pan. I've never been brave enough to make it though....Yummy

apple blossom said...

Love the stuff. Never make it, but as a treat sometimes a family in the church will give us some. YUMMY!!!

Quiltlady said...

The tubular cookie someone mentioned is called Krumkake. It is made on a special iron vaguely similar to a waffle iron that has a design carved into it.