Tender Lefse

Grandma made lefse on a wood stove as far back as I can remember while growing up in the rural North Idaho Panhandle.  It was a fairly regular Friday night thing with family coming to the farm from town to participate.  She kept a beautiful old wood fired cook stove in her basement just for this purpose.  This was the '60's and 70's I'm talking about here.  Of course in the rare but certain event the power went out she had a way to stay cozy and warm AND cook and bake. The rest of us had fireplaces so warmth wasn't a problem but those would not have been the days for bread and cookie baking for us as it was for my grandmother.  She was as comfortable as could be with a wood fired cook stove.  An electric version was a fairly new idea to her and just did not turn out the quality of baking and cooking she was used to.

The last time I remember grandma making lefse was approximately 1976.  Then someone else had to take up the torch and carry on the family tradition.  My mom was the one and maybe it was because the family tended to gather at her farm house now.  Anyone who lives on that farm needs to cook constantly.  There is a revolving door of guests, usually large groups...some of which stay for years.  Yes, it's true and there are good reasons for it but that's another story for another day....or not.

Anyway back to the lefse...one of the things about lefse making is you need to boil the potatoes, add the butter and cream then chill.  So it takes awhile.  Also you are supposed to put the potatoes thru a ricer and it's rather time consuming to do that step too.   So grandma and mom's method to simplify (they needed to with all the people so often at their tables) was to use instant mashed potatoes.

Here is mom's recipe and I think this is also the one my grandmother used; at least in later years.

Six servings of instant mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shortening
Mix together and chill for a few hours.
In an electric mixer, combine potatoes with 2 cups flour.
Shape into a roll and cut into 10 pieces.
Roll one piece at a time very thin on a well floured counter.
Using a long thin spatula, loosen from counter and roll loosely on rolling pin to transfer to a hot electric griddle.  Cook until it bubbles, turn over and cook a few more minutes.  Not too long or it will be tough.  Serve with butter and jam/jelly or sugar.  Roll up.

Many years ago I made lefse according to this recipe.  I had such a time with it that it hardly seemed worth it.  Fast forward to yesterday....

We have a crop of Bintje potatoes (that is material for another blog) and my husband asked if I would make Lefse with them to see if it would be better than ever.  We think it was.

This process is going to be a chuckle to follow and I don't know if you can, but I'll give it a whirl.

Take about this many Bintje potatoes in a one gallon Schwan's Ice Cream bucket.  This was from two plants and is about 5 lbs.

I saved the smallest potatoes in this photo to plant my next crop so I didn't use them all.

Peel, thick slice and boil them for 10 minutes.  Really!  This is what you do with Bintje potatoes.  Other potatoes will take 20 to 25 minutes. I have waterless cookware so use about and inch and a half of water in the bottom of the 6 quart pan to boil potatoes for 10 minutes.  Use about 3 inches of water for other potatoes.

 

Add one cup of Raw Milk, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt and mix with a hand mixer:

Our family ate about 2 cups of this for supper the first night. 

Day two:  Take the remaining amount (it was about 3.5 lbs left over) and add 5 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons raw cream, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon white sugar, 2 cups white flour.  Put in mixer and combine.

Heat griddle to 400 degrees and a large 12" skillet to medium heat.

Using the Demarle Roul'pat place about a 1/4 cup white flour on the Roul'pat and about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture well coated with flour.  Roll very thin.  It is hard to work with! Oh yes I remember this from last time.  As I went along I got the hang of it.  Keep adding lots of flour with each one you roll out or you won't be able to move it without breaking.

Now move it to the griddle.  I put it over the spatula and also held my hand under it to support it.  They are very fragile.

This is some of the smaller ones I made at first before I got the hang of making larger ones.

This is about that they look like when they are done.

Grandma used to scrape her rolling pin as she went along.  I can see why.

Serve hot...it is when they are best.  Let the butter melt around and spread it.

And some home made plum jam...thank you daughter :)

Fold in half....

And roll up...okay I got a little more jam than I needed, but sopped it up.

I've had some good lefse in my day and I think these were the best yet.  Just the right flavor, just the right amount of crisp and soft.  YUMMY!

My kiddos call it Left-see.  I feel more full than I should right now.