Lefse

[lonewolf]

I saw an old post from last year about Lefse. There weren't any recipes ever posted, so I'm wondering if the poster ever got a recipe or if there's any interest. I have a decent recipe, better than anything I've seen online. Anyone interested?

Liz

[Sarah S.]

Yes please. I am very interested. I'm not the one who posted last year, as I have just found the forums yesterday, but I would love a copy of a good Lefse recipe. I think they could be a good substitute for flour tortillas. For things like wraps and such. I had a classmate that brought them to class one year as christmas neared. They were pretty darn good and seemed like they would be fairly versatile with lots of possibilities.

Thanks,

Sarah S.

[Nantzie]

I'm interested too! My mom made Lefse only a couple of times while I was growing up. It was SO GOOD. I was at the grocery store tonight and they had Lingonberry jam. I'm drooling already...

Nancy

[lonewolf]

This is the recipe that I have used for years, worked great with wheat flour and has adapted well with gluten-free flour. You might want to try it once before making it to serve. It's a little tricky, even with wheat flour, but well worth the effort. I don't know how well it keeps. I've never had a batch last more than 3 hours. My gluten-loving kids devour it as fast as I can get it off the griddle. Last year I wanted to take some to Christmas Eve at the in-laws, but it was all eaten before I could get a piece hidden!

Potato Lefse (adapted from "Covenant Kitchen Treasures" church cookbook)

3 C riced or mashed potatoes

3 C gluten-free flour mix

5 tsp Xanthan gum (you may need even more, depending on your flour mix. If there is xanthan gum already in your mix, then adjust accordingly. This is the key to getting it to work.)

1 tsp salt

1-1/2 Tbs Sugar

1/4 C Butter or margarine

1/4 C Cream, milk or rice milk (I use rice milk and it works fine.)

Mash potatoes, measure 3 C and add butter while potatoes are hot. Mix well. Cool completely, but don't refrigerate. Sift flour with xanthan gum 3 times. Add cream or milk to potatoes, stir well and add 2 C of flour with sugar and salt. Mix well with spoon. Add flour a little at a time until dough is firm and smooth. It should be just firm enough to roll out, not too thick. You might have to play around with it, adding 1-2 tsp. more cream or milk and a Tbs of flour at a time until dough seems right. Depending on your flour you might have to add more liquid. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Take about a ping-pong ball sized piece and roll out VERY thin on a well-floured board or cloth. I use potato starch or tapioca starch to flour my rolling cloth and rolling pin.

Put on a hot (375-400 degrees) UNGREASED griddle (pancake griddle is great) for about 1-1/2 minutes on each side. You don't want it to brown. It takes a while to get the hand of it, but you'll get into a rhythm. I cook one side while I roll out another piece, I can get 2 pieces on my pancake griddle.

This should make about 24-30 little lefses. Stack them up on a plate under a tea towel. Eat warm or cold with butter and cinnamon sugar, cold turkey, butter and honey or jelly or almost anything. Keep in refrigerator sealed in a large ziploc bag.

This sounds a little complicated, but it really is worth the trouble. Give yourself a whole afternoon or long evening to get it all done.

Good luck and happy cooking!

Liz

[jenvan]

love new recipes..and now i know what a lefse is!!

[Sarah S.]

Thank you for posting the recipe. I am looking forward to tyring it soon. Even my husband seemed interested in trying them and he is usually wary of new things.

Thanks again!

...Sarah S.

[lonewolf]

I edited my lefse recipe. I somehow remembered that I had said that the dough should be like play dough. I think I made too much pie crust around Thanksgiving. Lefse dough should be a little softer and less dense than that. Hope you see this before trying it!

Liz