Minnesota Lefse

What foods does Minnesota boast about? They have an abundance of walleye – the state fish! It’s flaky and buttery and just plain delicious! And Spam! Yes, Spam is from Minnesota! But the state also has a large population of folks with a Scandinavian heritage. And my favorite Scandinavian food?

Lefse!

I first had lefse at my niece’s house. Her husband is Norwegian and lefse is a traditional holiday food. I loved them. She uses a textured rolling pin that gives them more grooves for butter! I’ve since had them in several restaurants.

What are lefse? The are sort of a Norwegian soft flatbread. They are thin like crepes but have more body. The base is potatoes! This recipe is the result of several experimental recipes until I found the one that I liked best.

Here’s How to Do it:

You need a lot of time – not that the work is time consuming, but that the dough needs to chill for several hours. In fact, make the dough balls the night before!

Heat the butter, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup cream until the butter is melted. Set it aside to cool for a little while.

When its cool, add the potatoes, salt, and the remaining cream and water.

Slowly stir in the flour until you have a soft, well mixed, dough. Cover it and chill for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Roll the dough into balls that are just a little bigger than a walnut.

You’ll get about 12 out of this recipe. Carefully set them in the bowl, cover and chill for at least 4 hours – overnight is better.

Lightly flour the surface of a pastry cloth and rolling pin. (My next purchase is going to be a rolling pin cover. It works like the pastry cloth so you use a lot less flour to roll things out.)

Place one ball in the center of the cloth and roll it thin – to about 8 inches around.

Carefully lift the lefse and place in a hot skillet (dry, not oiled) or griddle.

Cook until bubbles form, then flip – about 30 to 40 seconds.

Cook the other side and carefully move to a plate. Be careful – if you pop one of the bubbles, the steam that comes out is HOT!

Roll and cook, roll and cook until you’ve cooked them all.

Serve them warm or cold. I like them warm with some butter and jam!

5 from 2 votes

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Lefse

What are lefse? The are sort of a Norwegian soft flatbread. They are thin like crepes but have more body. The base is potatoes! This recipe is the result of several experimental recipes until I found the one that I liked best.

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Minnesota, Norwegian

Keyword: crepe, flatbread, potato

Servings: 12 lefse

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup dry, instant potatoes
• 1 cup flour

Instructions

You need a lot of time - not that the work is time consuming, but that the dough needs to chill for several hours. In fact, make the dough balls the night before!

1. Heat the butter, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup cream until the butter is melted. Set it aside to cool for a little while.

2. When its cool, add the potatoes, salt, and the remaining cream and water.

3. Slowly stir in the flour until you have a soft, well mixed, dough. Cover it and chill for about 10 or 15 minutes.

4. Roll the dough into balls that are just a little bigger than a walnut. You'll get about 12 out of this recipe. Carefully set them in the bowl, cover and chill for at least 4 hours - overnight is better.

5. Lightly flour the surface of a pastry cloth and rolling pin. (My next purchase is going to be a rolling pin cover. It works like the pastry cloth so you use a lot less flour to roll things out.)

6. Place one ball in the center of the cloth and roll it thin - to about 8 inches around.

7. Carefully lift the lefse and place in a hot skillet (dry, not oiled) or griddle. 

8. Cook until bubbles form, then flip - about 30 to 40 seconds. Cook the other side and carefully move to a plate. Be careful - if you pop one of the bubbles, the steam that comes out is HOT!

9. Roll and cook, roll and cook until you've cooked them all.

10. Serve them warm or cold. I like them warm with some butter and jam!

© Copyright 2019 The Lazy Gastronome

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