My father grew up 50% Norwegian and 50% Swedish.  (He jokes that he is continually fighting with himself 😉 ) Growing up in with such a strong Scandinavian influence in Minnesota was a treat.  Swedish Meatballs and Norwegian Lefse were a part of many a family gathering.  My dad used to be the expert in making the Lefse.  It was a fun family tradition growing up. 🙂

My children have tasted store-bought lefse but never had the privilege of having homemade. So this year I decided to change that and have a family day of lefse making. I have the lefse pan that my great-great grandmother brought over from Norway on the boat. So with such a heirloom treasure tool I set out yesterday to make lefse.  (You can use a modern day skillet, but mine has the flavor of many generations seeping into it’s very metal–LOL!)

The recipe that I used was an easy online recipe from Food.com.  It’s so simple because it uses instant mashed potato flakes instead of ricing potatoes. Earlier in the day I mixed up the batch and did all the prep.

First, I made a box of the instant mashed potatoes and then put the potatoes in the freezer to quick cool.  After they were cool I followed this recipe:

• 2cups of plain mashed potatoes
• 2tablespoons milk
• 1tablespoon butter
• ¹⁄₄teaspoon salt
• flour
  1. In a large mixing bowl mix potatoes, milk, butter, salt and 3/4 cup of flour.
  2. Kneed briefly on lightly floured board, adding flour to make the dough non-sticky.
  3. Divide dough into 12 equal balls

I made the mistake of multiplying this recipe by 5Xs so it took me AGES to knead my dough.  I had to have my daddy rescue me as I reached my max in my arm workout.

My mom made a gluten free/milk free batch before I started mine.  This is her kneading her batch.

After my lefse rolls were made I chilled them in the refrigerator ready for later that evening when all the children were home.

When it’s time to actually roll out and cook the lefse you roll the balls out into as thin of a crepe like “tortilla- looking” sphere.  Using your lefse turner place the dough on the pan that has been heated on medium heat.  Cook for one minute on each side.

After the lefse is cooked on both sides slather it with butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Roll the lefse up and enjoy!  (Some people also enjoy cinnamon sprinkled on their dessert.)

We usually cut the lefse up into triangles and store in the refrigerator.  Lefse also freezes well so we can have a stash for awhile. 🙂

The last step is the cleanup of flour that has migrated all through the kitchen and into every nook and cranny.  Our kitchen was hopping with hilarious craziness but it was a fun memory making day!