This May Sound Weird

[lovetocook]

Hi, I just took a class on how to make lefse, which is something I've always wanted to learn. the primary ingredient is riced potatoes but you also need flour to hold the dough together. There are 4 cups of potatoes to 1 cup of flour. We obviously used regular flour but does anyone have a suggestion as to what kind of gluten free flour would work? Probably some kind of combination? I'm fairly new at gluten free baking and haven't done a lot of it, but I have sorghum flour, rice flour, teff flour and Bob's Red Mill baking mix in my cupboard currently.

Also, the teacher of the class talked about the "gluten" in potatoes that makes them sticky. I don't believe potatoes have gluten, do they?

[psawyer]

The term "gluten" can have two meanings.

It can refer to vegetable proteins, especially those from grains, in general. This sense is found when you see reference to corn gluten, or rice gluten.

It is used in dietary discussions relating to celiac disease to mean four specific grain proteins. Those are the ones found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. (Whether oats belong on the list is not universally agreed on.)

The word "gluten" used alone, without qualification, is the latter meaning and a red flag. But when used in the context of another vegetable protein, it is not a concern. This can be confusing at first.

Potatoes, corn and rice are free of the kinds of gluten that we need to worry about.

As to your other question about substitute flours, and am unable to offer any advice.

[Juliet]

What you would want is a combination of gluten free flours, gluten free starches, and some xanthan gum. The rule of thumb I follow is 2 parts gluten free flour (i.e., rice flour [brown or white], sorghum flour, buckwheat flour, teff, quinoa) to 1 part starch (potato starch [not flouor], tapioca starch/flour, cornstarch, sweet rice flour). Then you adjust the amount of xanthan gum according to how "sticky" you need the mix to be. I often use a combination of sorghum flour and brown rice flour (both finely ground, like from Authentic Foods - also get a little more fiber using these two) with either potato or tapioca starch (tapioca for sweet, potato for everything else). Then for something like a regular risen bread, I'd use about 1 tsp. of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour mix. For cookies, I'd use about 1/2 tsp per cup, and cakes even less.

With the starch from the potatoes, you probably don't need any actual starch in your mix, though. Just some xanthan gum. The Bob's Red Mill Baking Flour mix doesn't have any xanthan gum, so you'd need to go out and get some. Otherwise, you could try using all starch and no flour (since starch is the stickiest of the two) and maybe increase your protein content in other ways (butter, shortening, cream, etc.) Good luck!

[GRUMP 1]

I think the one I have I got off of here some where. I will have to see if I can find it and post it for you. But you should be able to do a search on here and find one.

Forress, Grump

[lcbannon]

I use Teff pretty much just in Chocolate type items, CC Cookies, Brownies etc. I don't think the flavor will go well with potatoes- IMHO

[lonewolf]

Here's my lefse recipe. I make it every Christmas.

LEFSE

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 hang of it, but you'll get into a rhythm.

[GRUMP 1]

Sorry I did not get back to you sooner lovetocook. We had to run up north to the kids for a few days. But the recipe lonewolf posted is the same one I have. I of course got it from her. It is very good my gluten eating kids liked it as well. Even my ex-wife thought it good although as she said it was not Mom's. But then when is any thing like what Mom made,

Grump