About this Dish
Norway's traditional potato flatbread — made from mashed potato, flour and butter, rolled paper thin and cooked on a griddle until lightly spotted. Eaten with butter and sugar, or wrapped around fish and meat. A Christmas tradition and everyday food in rural Norway. Norwegian-Americans make lefse at Christmas as a connection to their heritage. Rolling lefse thin enough is a skill passed through families.
IngredientsServes 6
🥔Russet potatoes, 1kg peeled and boiled
🧈Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons
🥛Heavy cream, 3 tablespoons
🧂Salt, 1 teaspoon
🌾All-purpose flour, 200g plus extra for rolling
🍬Sugar, 1 teaspoon (optional, for a slightly sweeter dough)
🧈Softened butter, extra, for serving
Method
1
Rice the hot boiled potatoes using a potato ricer or push them through a fine sieve — never mash them with a mixer or the dough will become gluey. Stir in the butter, cream and salt while the potatoes are still warm, then spread the mixture out on a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours or overnight until completely cold. Cold potatoes are essential for a workable dough.2
Once the potato mixture is fully chilled, work in the flour a little at a time using your hands until a soft, pliable dough comes together. Use only as much flour as needed — too much makes the lefse tough and dry. Divide the dough into golf ball-sized portions and keep them covered with a clean towel.3
Heat a dry cast-iron griddle or large flat frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. A drop of water should skitter and evaporate instantly.4
On a well-floured surface, roll each dough ball out as thin as you possibly can — aim for about 2–3mm, nearly translucent. Use a grooved lefse rolling pin if you have one, but a regular pin works fine. Flour the board generously and work quickly so the dough stays cold.5
Carefully lift the rolled lefse using a thin spatula or a long lefse stick and lay it flat onto the hot dry griddle. Cook for about 1 minute until light brown spots appear on the underside, then flip and cook the other side for another 30–60 seconds. The lefse should stay pale and pliable, not crispy.6
As each lefse comes off the griddle, layer them between clean kitchen towels to keep them soft and prevent drying out. They will soften as they steam gently under the towels.7
Serve spread with softened butter and a sprinkle of sugar, or fill with sliced cured meats or smoked fish and roll up. Lefse keep well wrapped in the fridge for several days, or freeze beautifully between sheets of parchment paper.User Reviews
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