Lefse Time receives numerous questions every week about lefse. We have compiled a list of questions we thought would be the most helpful for our readers. If you have any questions about making lefse that you would like answered please send us an email. For more information about making your own lefse view our Lefse Making Instructions page.
Lefse IS Beautiful !!!!!
How do you serve lefse?
There is no right answer to this. In my family there are 2 ways that we
traditionally serve lefse. One is to cut an entire lefse round into
quarters. Butter the entire quarter and then fold in half. Each wedge is
considered one serving. The other is t roll the quarter (or cut the
quarter in half again and then roll). But do what you like, maybe your a
husky norske and half a sheet is more to your liking for serving!
What can you do with lefse?
Lefse possibilities are endless! Of course there is butter and sugar-
brown or white. Or try ligonberry spread. Fill it with eggs, sausage and
cheese for a mimic of a breakfast burrito. Spread for peanut butter and
jelly- a new twist on an old classic. Fill it with meatballs and sauce.
And on and on.... Visit our recipe section for even more great ideas.
I know you suggest refrigerating lefse but mine seems to retain moisture when refrigerated. Is there a better way to store it? Is it possible to not refrigerate it if eaten in 1-2 days? If so, what's the best way to store it unrefrigerated?
Refrigeration is suggested because of the perishable nature of lefse, especially those recipes containing dairy products. Before packaging your lefse make sure that your sheets are completely cooled, any heat retained will cause condensation in your packaging which gives you soggy lefse. Or you might try cooking your lefse a bit longer the next batch, which will cook out a bit more of the moisture. I wouldn't suggest leaving your lefse on the counter but there are those that do and understand that the lefse is keep in a Tupperware like container with waxed paper between sheets.
What kind of potatoes are best for making lefse?
Russets are by far the best to use. New potatoes or red potatoes tend to adsorb to much water during the boiling process. Russets are hardy and will stay “dryer”. If your riced potatoes are too wet your going to have problems with your batter, which will give you problems when its time to roll and so on.
The edges of my lefse are crispy, what am I doing wrong?
Crispy edges can pose a problem but are preventable. Mostly you want to be sure that your lefse edges are not getting rolled to thin and then try using a bit less flour on your pastry board near where the finished edges of your lefse fall. You want a uniform thickness throughout your lefse sheet for even cooking. A spot that’s to thin will cook more quickly than the rest of your sheet and end up crispy. You can help soften crispy edges by stacking the lefse right off the grill about 12 high being sure to keep the sheets between lefse cozies or towels. This will cause a steam effect and soften things up. Or when you package your lefse, make sure the crispy edges are to the inside, they will adsorb a bit of moisture from the other sheets.
What makes lefse get sort of rubbery?
Rubbery lefse is due to too much flour and overworked dough. If you find that your lefse dough is a bit sticky try sticking it in the fridge to cool before adding more flour. And be careful not to overwork your lefse dough, this will break down the gluten and make your lefse very tough.
Does putting the dough in the refrigerator really make a difference?
Always, always refrigerate your lefse dough if you are not going to immediately cook with it. Potatoes spoil very quickly and I would hate to see that you have to start all over. If after mixing in your other ingredients to the riced potatoes you find that your lefse dough is loose or sticky, putting your lefse dough in the refrigerator can really make a difference. A few hours in the refrigerator can really stiffen it up and make it much easier to roll out. And on the flip side, if you already have a fairly stiff dough, time in the refrigerator can make it very difficult to roll out.
What causes my lefse grill to not heat correctly?
If your lefse grill isn't heating to the setting you need, you most likely need to replace your probe control. Because lefse is cooked at such a high temperature the continued use can eventually burn out the control. It is recommended by the manufacturer to only operate the grill for 1 1/2 to 2 hours per use. Or if the control has been exposed to too much flour, water or the like it can malfunction as well.
How can I remove a sticky spot on my aluminum finish lefse grill?
Using steel wool or scotch pad worked in a circular motion around the surface of the grill following the original sanding marks should resolve the problem. Then it's best to rub flour in, much like a pastry cloth to re season your grill.
Which grill is better for cooking lefse, the aluminum or the silverstone finish?
There's no right answer here. It's what do you prefer. Both grills will cook beautiful lefse. However, if you would like your grill to do more than cook lefse, teflon finish is the way to go. The nonstick coating allows you to make pancakes, fry burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches the list goes on. I prefer to use the aluminum finish for making lefse. I have found that the lefse can slip around a little on the Teflon finish when trying to turn.
Which lefse stick do you prefer?
This is the what do your prefer answer again. Historically and traditionally speaking the 7/8" stick is the choice. At Lefse Time we have found the 1 1/2" stick to make things a little quicker when flipping the lefse.
Do you have to use a corrugated rolling pin to make lefse?
Absolutely not! You can use any pin to make lefse. Traditionally the corrugated pin is used. The corrugated pin works wonderfully to get the sheet nice and thin with no air pockets. At Lefse Time we like it for the results we get and the authentic markings on a cooked sheet of lefse. The smooth rolling pin is the standard pin you see in the kitchen because it is so versatile, you can roll pie crust, cookie dough or lefse. The square cut pin does the same work as the corrugated pin but just not as popular.
What do you do when the dough gets stuck in the rolling pin grooves?
Well mostly you have some work ahead of you. You will need to scrape what dough you can from it, soak it in soapy water and give it a good scrub. Be sure to let the pin air dry completely before your next use. How do you keep sticks from happening? Lots of flour or rolling pin covers! Your rolling pin will need constant prep with flour. At Lefse Time we are sure to rub plenty of flour on the pin before every sheet.
Help! My lefse is sticking to the pastry cloth, what should I do?
The easiest thing to do is grab a butter knife and gently scrape the dough off the sticky spot on your pastry cloth. As much as you can. Then liberally spread and rub in flour over that spot. Our best advice is prevention, be sure to sprinkle flour over your rolling area between every sheet. Don't worry you can dust off allot of that flour after your sheet has cooled.
Do I have to rice my potatoes?
Well that just depends on the directions for your recipe. At Lefse Time we have found that ricing your potatoes takes out every lump there is and have no worries of a lump showing it's ugly head when we roll out our sheets. We sell two ricers at our store and have found that the plain old ordinary ricer works terrific. You get beautiful fluffy riced potatoes with little effort. Our heavy duty ricer does have a nice feature of coming completely apart for washing.
Do I have to use rolling pin covers to keep my dough from sticking to
the rolling pin?
No. Personal preference reigns here. At Lefse Time we like the markings a corrugated rolling pin leaves on a rolled sheet of lefse so we skip the covers. However, I know plenty of people who wouldn't dream of
rolling lefse without rolling pin covers. They are easy to use. Slip the cover over the end of your pin then rub in generous amounts of flour and your ready to go. I have found it's easiest to prep your cover by pretending to roll a sheet of lefse but your using flour, no dough in sight.
How should I store my lefse?
Lefse should be refrigerated or frozen. Our lefse is made with no
preservatives, so it can take a week or so in the fridge. In the
refrigerator, it needs to stay in its sealed package or it will dry out.
If you don't plan on eating it right away, toss it in the freezer. Lefse
can be kept 6 months in the freezer if properly wrapped.
