Moms Lefse Recipes

LEFSE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain. Press through a potato ricer or strainer into a large bowl. Stir in cream, shortening, sugar and salt. Cool completely. , Preheat griddle over medium-high heat. Stir flour into potato mixture. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 6-8 times or until smooth and combined. Divide into 12 portions. Roll each portion between 2 sheets of waxed paper into an 8-in. circle., Place on griddle; cook until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter; cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining portions. When cool, stack lefse between pieces of waxed paper or paper towels and store in an airtight container.

NORWEGIAN LEFSE

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with water and cook until tender. Run hot potatoes through a potato ricer. Place 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. 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.
• Cook on a hot (400 degree F/200 C) griddle until bubbles form and each side has browned. Place on a damp towel to cool slightly and then cover with damp towel until ready to serve.

LEFSE II

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix by hand sour milk or buttermilk, corn syrup, sugar, soda, cardamom, and flour until mixture becomes a soft pliable dough.
• Divide the dough into 12 or so pieces. Roll out each piece until about 1/8 inch thick.
• Bake on a lightly floured griddle over very low heat for 12 to 15 minutes per side. Serve warm with your favorite cheese or jam.

MOM'S LEFSE

Steps:

• While the potatoes are hot, combine them with the salt and butter in a stand mixer or a large bowl. Mix or stir until no lumps remain (think of smooth mashed potatoes).
• Let stand covered until the potatoes are cool, then add the flour. Work the flour into the potatoes by hand, kneading it in thoroughly, or use a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. (You can use a rotary egg beater as well.)
• Preheat an electric griddle to 450°F (you can also use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet if you don't have a griddle). Spread out a big bath towel or flour-sack dish towel on the counter or table (avoid using towels that are laundered with scented detergent or dryer sheets).
• Form patties of the dough, each about the size of a tennis ball (a measuring cup can be useful for making sure the resulting lefse sheets are all the same size). Place one patty at a time on a generously floured lefse board, pastry cloth, or other large, flat surface. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, making sure it is evenly thin throughout.
• Using a lefse stick, carefully slide it under the middle of the lefse sheet, making sure to keep the end of the stick down so it doesn't poke through the dough. Lift the stick gently from the board. Matching the edge of the sheet to the edge of the grill, lay the sheet down and unroll it onto the griddle in one smooth, quick motion.
• Bake the lefse until small brown spots appear on the underside and bubbles appear on top like a pancake, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Lefse cooks very quickly; don't ignore it too long or it will burn before you know it!
• Transfer the finished lefse onto the towel. You can stack several sheets on top of one another in a shingle pattern, then start another layer and stack those. Then cover them with a thin cloth or another towel, and set them aside to cool.
• When they have completely cooled, fold the lefse in half, then half again so you have a round-edged triangle. Store them in zipper-lock freezer bags. They will keep in the freezer for at least 6 months.

MOM'S NORWEGIAN POTATO LEFSA

Steps:

• Heat cream and shortening until shortening is melted. Cool and then add to riced potatoes. Sift flour, sugar and salt and add to potato mixture. Take a piece of dough as for pie crust (I use a piece a little smaller than a tennis ball), Roll the dough in a circle on a floured cloth rolling as thin as possible.
• Using a lefsa turner (a long thin stick) to lift the rolled lefsa dough, bake on top of a lefsa or pancake griddle that is pre-heated to 425 degrees F. Bake until light brown on both sides. Serve warm or cooled spread with butter and sugar and rolled up.
• Cut into one-fourths, for serving.

LEFSE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook potatoes until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
• Rice potatoes into a large bowl, continuing until you have 8 cups. Add oil, evaporated milk, sugar and salt, and mix well. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.
• When ready to make lefse, add 2 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Divide dough into two logs if you have a lefse grill, and four if you do not. Dough should be sticky and hold together, but not so sticky it's impossible to work with; if necessary, add remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cut each log into 9 or 10 pieces, shape into small balls and place on plates in refrigerator.
• If you have a lefse grill, heat it to 400 degrees. If you don't have a lefse grill, set a wide, low-lipped nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
• Generously dust work space with flour and flour a rolling pin. Roll one dough ball in flour, then use the heel of your hand to press it into a thick disk. If you have a lefse grill, gently roll dough into a large, thin circle (if you are using a regular pan, roll into a thin circle just smaller than the size of your pan), lifting and flipping frequently so it doesn't stick; use more flour as needed. Brush excess flour from dough. Use a lefse stick to carefully transfer to grill (use a thin spatula if cooking in a pan). Cook for 1 minute, or until lefse is steaming and small bubbles appear on uncooked side. Using lefse stick or spatula, flip lefse and cook for 45 seconds or so. Place lefse on a clean dish towel and cover with another. Repeat, stacking lefse atop one another between the dish towels.