Gonz
Ultra Runner
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2005
- Messages
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Lefse is a wonderful Scandinavian treat, a great addition to Thanksgiving or Holiday meals, and a fun tradition for many folks out here in MN. Like many cultural traditions, it is struggling to get passed on to younger generations, I'm proud to have learned to make it, hopefully as good as the old ladies at the booth at the county fair!
It's not easy and takes some practice for sure, as well as requires a few special tools and a griddle. Lefsetime.com is a great resource for recipes as well as necessary equipment.
Ingredients - 4 cups riced potatoes (boiled just right, Russets are best)
1/4 cup, roughly, butter in small pats
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1.5 cups flour
Rice the potatoes as soon as they're done cooking, and add the pats of butter so they'll melt. After this, the potatoes must be cooled all the way before proceeding (or it's a huge mess). I prefer to let them cool on the counter for a bit, then cover and keep in the fridge overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingredients and stir, then knead by hand until a large dough ball forms. From this, form patties (like little burgers) from 1/3 c amounts of dough.
Next you're going to roll out those patties on a nice big, very well floured surface (because it super sucks when they stick), then transfer to a large griddle to cook. I use a large lefse rolling board with cloth, and prefer a cloth covered rolling pin (or specialty lefse rolling pin). Did I mention use a ton of flour to keep it from sticking? I cannot understate how important this is.
The rounds, when rolled out will be 12-14" in diameter and darn near paper thin. Thinner than a tortilla.
Cook one side of the lefse for roughly 20-30 seconds (the pan is about 500 degrees), then carefully flip with your really cool, authentic lefse stick.
After cooking that side, transfer onto large plate to cool.
To enjoy, the preferred (who am I kidding, the only way) way is to fold into a quarter, lather with copious amounts of butter then brown sugar, fold up further and devour.
Hope you all enjoyed one of our family's favorite holiday traditions!
It's not easy and takes some practice for sure, as well as requires a few special tools and a griddle. Lefsetime.com is a great resource for recipes as well as necessary equipment.
Ingredients - 4 cups riced potatoes (boiled just right, Russets are best)
1/4 cup, roughly, butter in small pats
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1.5 cups flour
Rice the potatoes as soon as they're done cooking, and add the pats of butter so they'll melt. After this, the potatoes must be cooled all the way before proceeding (or it's a huge mess). I prefer to let them cool on the counter for a bit, then cover and keep in the fridge overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingredients and stir, then knead by hand until a large dough ball forms. From this, form patties (like little burgers) from 1/3 c amounts of dough.


Next you're going to roll out those patties on a nice big, very well floured surface (because it super sucks when they stick), then transfer to a large griddle to cook. I use a large lefse rolling board with cloth, and prefer a cloth covered rolling pin (or specialty lefse rolling pin). Did I mention use a ton of flour to keep it from sticking? I cannot understate how important this is.

The rounds, when rolled out will be 12-14" in diameter and darn near paper thin. Thinner than a tortilla.


Cook one side of the lefse for roughly 20-30 seconds (the pan is about 500 degrees), then carefully flip with your really cool, authentic lefse stick.

After cooking that side, transfer onto large plate to cool.

To enjoy, the preferred (who am I kidding, the only way) way is to fold into a quarter, lather with copious amounts of butter then brown sugar, fold up further and devour.
Hope you all enjoyed one of our family's favorite holiday traditions!