Lefse FAQ’s

Lefse FAQ’s
How far in advance can I make my lefse patties? The day before?

We really recommend that you mix up your dough, scoop out your patties and get right to rolling. I know there are a lot of you out there that when it comes to making lefse, it’s a marathon! You might be cooking up to 20lbs of potatoes and want to get as much done in advance as you can. Patties made a day before tend to “breakdown” overnight. They can get discolored and watery, turning into a rolling nightmare. Now a few hour in advance? No problem, just keep the patties on the chilly side.

Can I substitute half and half for the cream?

Well you can substitute ingredients in your lefse recipe but you won’t get the same lefse your used to getting. Changes to the recipe can really alter how your lefse tastes, the texture,  and how it performs rolling & cooking. So if you are looking to use half & half, you may need to cut back in the amount a just a bit. I don’t think that lefse is bad for you…but maybe you can cut back on all the butter and sugar you eat it with. :)

I’m cooking lefse again next week with my sister. Do I have to wash my pastry cloth?

Nope! You don’ have to wash it. Take your pastry cloth off the board and give it a hearty shake outside. I always suggest outside- you don’t want a flour cloud in the house, there’s already enough flour everywhere! So you can then stretch the cloth back over the board and store somewhere cool and dry until next week. If it’s gonna be longer than that, take your freshly shaken cloth, fold a couple times and place into a zip top bag. Toss it in the freezer until your ready again. Tip! Be sure and pull the cloth out of the bag immediately, there could be a bit of frost in the bag.

I’ve cooked all my lefse! Now, how do I clean my pastry cloth and lefse cozies?

First things first, take your pastry cloth & cozies outside and give them a big ole shake! Shake out as much flour as you can. Then go ahead and toss them in the wash. Our best tip? Be sure to use unscented detergent and no fabric softener or dryer sheets. You could end up with ‘Spring Fresh’ scented lefse! I had to learn that lesson the hard way MANY years ago. :)

How do I prep my corrugated rolling pin for making lefse?

A well prepped rolling pin makes lefse rolling a snap! Take your clean and dry corrugated rolling pin and pack each groove completely with flour. We found that using a tray full of flour and rolling your pin back and forth through the flour is super handy. But be sure to firmly push the flour into each groove. Do this step between each sheet of lefse you roll.

How do I prep my pastry cloth for rolling lefse?

A well prepped pastry cloth will prevent your lefse dough from sticking. Stretch your cloth tightly over the pastry board. Place a couple tablespoons of flour over the cloth. Begin rubbing the flour into the cloth with your hands, use firm pressure and try to push the flour into the cloth. If the flour all goes in, keep adding more until it won’t take anymore. Then sprinkle additional flour over the surface and spread lightly over the surface. Give an additional sprinkle over the center area, where every patty starts for rolling. Re-prep your board between every sheet with a light sprinkle of flour, a little pressure to rub, additional sprinkle to lightly cover surface and the additional sprinkle in the center.

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.
I have followed your lefse making instructions carefully. Now can you tell me how I should 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.
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.

I tried making lefse but end product is so sticky I can’t get off my fingers and too sticky to roll, what am I doing wrong?
Lefse dough will stick to your fingers when mixing. Despite being sticky the dough should be pret