Lefse Day!

As any good, true Minnesotan knows, lefse and Christmas go hand in hand!  This Scandinavian specialty is eaten by the thousands (probably hundreds of thousands) by Minnesotans during December.   Even those of us who are not Scandinavian enjoy these treats.  Lefse is just plain good!  The Norwegians like to eat it with lutefisk - cod soaked in lye and then boiled to death until it is a gelatinous mess - but we won't go there.   Real Norwegians tell you that lutefisk is good if it is properly prepared.   The smell of it alone is enough to put most folks off.  But I digress.........
     At Christmas time lefse makes a good lunch or snack with tea or coffee.  It is usually spread with lots of butter, then either white or brown sugar, then rolled up and eaten out of hand.   Lefse is sort of like a potato tortilla.   Eating lefse during the holidays is almost a sacred ritual with most Scandinavians.   Recipes and techniques are handed down through the generations, and everyone says "Grandma's was the best".   I never ate lefse before coming to Minnesota, but when I tried it for the first time I KNEW I had to learn to make it!  I am 100% Polish heritage, so learning to make lefse was a new thing for me.   I didn't have any Norwegian grandmothers to show me anything.   The first time I learned about lefse making was from a square dance caller's wife many years ago.  I read lots of cookbooks and watched videos on the internet and tried my hand at lefse making over the years.   I also watched a Swedish lady from our church make lefse one day in her kitchen.  I eventually got pretty good at it, if I say so myself!  One day I had a couple of Norwegian heritage fellows (guys) over at my house.   I gave them some of my lefse to try and asked for their opinion.    They said it was "pretty good" and that I got it "nice and thin" - which is about as complimentary as any Scandinavian will get!  They ate lots of it anyway.   So it must have been OK.   Even pet dogs and cats love lefse around this time of year!  My farm cats go nuts over it.   They get the sort of overcooked pieces and those that are not shaped good.   They aren't fussy!

Today my neighbor and good friend Marlene came over to help me make lefse.  I made sure she took plenty home with her.

Here is Marlene rolling out the dough.

She transfers the rolled out piece to the hot griddle with a special long "lefse stick".  Stores around Minnesota sell these griddles, usually made by Bethany House, and also all the other equipment for making lefse.

This is what a nice thin piece of rolled out lefse looks like on the griddle.

When both sides have little brown spots and the dough is no longer moist, usually a minute on a 425 degree griddle, the lefse is folded in half and placed between towels to soften.

I like to put a warm, moist towel over the top of the pile of towels.  I find that the moist heat helps to soften the lefse quickly.  This way you can eat them sooner!!

Marlene holds a piece of perfectly cooked lefse ready to eat!  Thank you for your help today, Marlene!

This is equipment you must have for successful lefse making:  a well floured cloth (be sure to tape it down good to your surface) , a special grooved rolling pin with a stocking cover, and a long thin stick for transferring dough from the cloth to the griddle.   The dough is made into small patties. 

A close up of one of the patties of dough, ready to roll out.  You can see small pieces of potato are still visible in the dough, but these will flatten out with the grooved rolling pin.

This is what the rolled out lefse looks like before going onto the griddle.  It should be rolled as thinly as possible.   Old Scandinavian grandmothers say the dough should be thin enough to "read the newspaper through".   Transferring the dough from the floured cloth to the griddle can be tricky if your cloth isn't floured enough.   This is why the long thin stick is used.

Here is what the rolling pin looks like under the stocking cover.   The grooves in the rolling pin give the lefse the traditional crosshatched look.  I see where a little bit of dough got stuck to the grooves through the stocking cover.   I will have some cleaning to do with a stiff brush!

A couple years ago someone gave me this cookbook of 91 Ways to Serve Lefse!  The traditional way is still the best, but this book does have some interesting variations.  (Like rolling it up with meats or cheeses or spreads)

If you are interested in making lefse and you can get the required equipment, here is the recipe I use:
4 cups of riced potatoes - yes, you must use a special potato ricer!!
1/3 c. butter
1/2 cream - I use Half and Half. 
1 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
Flour as needed. 

Peel the potatoes and boil them just until tender.  Drain well.  I use a colander for this, and then put the potatoes back into the hot pan to dry out a little more on the hot burner for a while before putting them through the ricer.  Measure the 4 cups of riced potatoes by gently putting them into a measuring cup - don't pack down too hard.   Meanwhile heat the butter, cream and salt and sugar until very hot.  Mix this into the riced potatoes and refrigerate overnight.
     Next day - the potato mix must be cold - add 1/2 cup of flour for each cup of riced potatoes.  You might need just a little more, but not too much.  Too much flour makes for "tough" lefse.   Mix with your hands and form into balls or patties using about 1/4 cup of potato mix.  This is the messy part!  Put these on a plate or tray and refrigerate them, removing only one ball at a time to work with. 
     Using a large cloth or one of those special lefse rolling cloths they sell at the hardware stores, flour it well.  Roll out each ball into a very thin circle.  Transfer to the griddle and brown one side (about a minute or less) and use the stick to flip it over to cook the other side.  Put cooked lefse between towels.  Store in a refrigerator.  To serve, lefse can be reheated in a microwave for a short time if you like warm lefse.
Makes about 16 pieces. 
You must use dry type of potatoes like russets.  Don't boil your potatoes too long, as they will be too moist.
There are lots of recipes and You Tube videos of lefse making on the internet, too.

Here is a cute poem I found regarding lefse:  (some Scandinavian lefse humor)
Yew tak yust ten big potatoes
Den yew boil dem til dar don.
Yew add to dis some sveet cream
And by cups it measures vun.

Den yew steal 'tree ounces of butter
And vit two fingers pench some salt.
Yew beat dis wery lightly
If it ain't gude it is your fault.

Den yew roll dis tin vit flour
An' light brown on stove yew bake.
Now call in all Scandihuvians
Tew try da fine lefse yew make!
..................ya, you bet'cha uff da!

And here is a nice piece of today's lefse ready to eat:

Yum!  Buttered and rolled up with brown sugar and slightly warm...........I'm going to grab a cup of coffee!