Lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made with mashed potatoes or rice, flour, sugar, and salt. It can be served in various ways, from sweet to savory, and can be stored for up to six months when dried.
Lefse is a beloved flatbread from Norweigan that has almost been elevated to a cultural and traditional icon, at least on the internet. There are dozens of websites devoted to this favorite food that share stories, history, and leftist recipes and techniques. This potato-based flatbread varies in thickness, from a cake-like loaf, to a thick, hearty flatbread, to a thin, almost twisty loaf.
Although many Norwegians claim that lefse, or a flatbread very similar to it, was used to support Vikings on long sea voyages, the fact that potatoes were only introduced 250 years ago in Norway makes this development much newer. There are some variations, depending on the family recipe, but the basic ingredients are the same: mashed potatoes or rice, flour, sugar and salt. Milk, cream and butter or butter is used, depending on the preference of the cook.
The dough is then rolled out with a special corrugated or fluted rolling pin to remove any air pockets. Most cooks prefer to use a griddle or special grill for lefse, although some also cook it at high temperatures. The versatility of the focaccia allows it to be served in many different ways. Tynnlefse, or “thin” lefty, is sweet, almost crepe-like and often loaded with butter, cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, or ligonberry jelly, then rolled up. Lefse-klining, or “rolling” lefes, is a popular dessert or snack.
Tykklefse, or “chunky” lefse, is an almost cake-shaped variation and is typically served with coffee. When made thinner, the thicker the flatbread becomes, it can also be used to wrap sausages and hot dogs or other savory additions, such as eggs, meat, peanut butter, and lutefisk, a popular Norwegian fish.
According to Gary Legwold’s The Last Word on Lefse, the definitive guide to bread, women would make a year’s supply at a time, storing them in large barrels. Most likely, this would be a harder, drier version of the bread often called Hardanger Lefse, named for the region. This is done using finely ground whole wheat flour or graham flour. The pasta is rolled thin, then cooked at a high temperature and dried. It can keep up to six months unrefrigerated. Non-dried versions should be tightly packaged and kept frozen or refrigerated when stored.
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