What's the best way to eat lefse?
For best results, use REAL butter and sugar. Spread the butter on, sprinkle it with sugar (brown or white – I prefer brown sugar, but the lefse is definitely edible either way), roll it up, and enjoy!
Is lefse served hot or cold?
Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. It is made with the main ingredient of potatoes. It can be eaten hot or cold. I prefer it hot!
Is lefse served warm?
Make Ahead: The potato mixture needs to be refrigerated overnight (and up to 2 days). Make the dough just before you cook it. The lefse are best served fresh and warm, but they can be wrapped between layers of plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer-term storage.
Why do Norwegians eat lefse?
The story of lefse is intertwined with Norwegian history. Just as the Norwegian flatbread was developed as a way to store food over the harsh winter months, lefse served a similar purpose. During the 19th century, the lefse was a popular way to store wheat or potato, which would otherwise be unusable.
How healthy is lefse?
Lefse (Norwegian) contains 2.6 calories per 1.2 g serving. This serving contains 0.1 g of fat, 0.1 g of protein and 0.4 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 0 g sugar and 0 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Lefse (Norwegian) contains 0 g of saturated fat and 0.1 mg of cholesterol per serving.
Is lefse Swedish or Norwegian?
Lefse (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈlɛ̂fsə]) is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. It is made with flour, can include potato, and includes butter, and milk, cream, or lard.
Do people still eat lefse in Norway?
“People still eat it, usually at Christmas, and you can find it in some restaurants in the winter.
Do you have to refrigerate 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.
How long is lefse good for in the fridge?
While the lefse will last about a week in the refrigerator, the texture deteriorates quickly, so it's best to eat them as soon as possible. You can store lefse in the freezer for up to six months by wrapping the sealed plastic bag of lefse in a layer of aluminum foil.
Is lefse a tortilla?
It folds like a flour tortilla. But it's lefse (pronounced LEF-sah), a Norwegian flatbread often made with mashed potatoes.
Are there different types of lefse?
Tynnlefse (thin lefse) is a variation made in central Norway. Tynnlefse is rolled up with butter, sugar and cinnamon (or with butter and brown sugar). Tjukklefse or tykklefse is thicker and often served with coffee as a cake. Potetlefse (potato lefse) is similar to and used as tynnlefse, but made with potatoes.
What is the difference between lefse and Lompe?
Lompe is smaller in diameter and typically little thicker than lefse. Whereas making lefse is an all-day affair, I rolled a full batch of lompe in about 30 minutes for a weeknight dinner. Norwegian lomper make for a superior hot dog or sausage experience, but they are versatile!
How do Norwegians eat lefse?
Norwegians would also often eat lefse rolled up with butter, with many also adding cinnamon and sugar. Many people would also add different types of jam, cheese or other ingredients to make their preferred lefse. A lot of people eat lefse with savoury foods like ham, cheese, beef and much more, rolling it up as a wrap.
Should lefse be refrigerated?
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.
How long is lefse good for in the fridge?
While the lefse will last about a week in the refrigerator, the texture deteriorates quickly, so it's best to eat them as soon as possible. You can store lefse in the freezer for up to six months by wrapping the sealed plastic bag of lefse in a layer of aluminum foil.
How do you store lefse after cooking?
Put the cooked lefse down on one half of the cloth, brush off any flour (there shouldn't be much, if any) then fold the other half of the cloth over the top. As each sheet comes off the griddle, open up the cloth and put it on the stack. Always cover the stack immediately. The moisture must be conserved.
What is lefse?
This flexible food is a staple of traditional Norwegian households, cafes and even ferries up and down the country. Certain types are also popular in the USA.
The history of lefse
The story of lefse is intertwined with Norwegian history. Just as the Norwegian flatbread was developed as a way to store food over the harsh winter months, lefse served a similar purpose.
Norwegian pancake v Norwegian tortilla
I see the terms pancake and tortilla used often to describe the Norwegian lefse. I think both are accurate in different ways, but neither offer a complete picture.
Types of Norwegian lefse
Recipes and even names vary considerably across Norway, so it's difficult to provide a complete breakdown of all the different types. However, I'm going to try and cover as many as I can!
Lefse in Norwegian-American communities
More than a hundred years ago, thousands of Norwegians left the country to pursue their dreams in the new world. Today, several million American citizens can trace their heritage back to Norway . As a result, many Scandinavian clubs and societies have sprung up all over the country to keep traditions alive.
Where to buy lefse
In Norway, lefse of both the sweet and savoury variety are available in all Norwegian supermarkets. The above picture shows just a couple of examples.
Lefse recipes: How to make Norwegian lefse at home
There is no one best lefse recipe. Hopefully if you've read this far, you'll understand why! Do you want to make a thick, sweet lefse, or thin ones for savoury wraps? With potato, or without? There are so many options, not to mention the countless ‘secret' family recipes handed down through generations.
Labour of love
The passionate food enthusiasts explain that people often come together when making lefse, dividing the tasks between them to make the job easier.
From dinner to dessert
How the lefse is made and what it is filled with, varies around the country. The lefse we use for dinner, tapas and similar, is not as sweet as those served as a dessert or a treat.
Make a quick lefse snack at home
Can’t wait to try lefse? Well, you don’t have to. It might not be the same as homemade lefse, but there is no reason you should try to make a quick lefse snack at home.
How to prepare lefser
Most lefser still follow the principle of baking flat bread like the Moroccan harcha or baghrir, injera from Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Somali lahoh or palacinki from Macedonia.
The different variants
There are many ways to accompany and flavor lefse. The most common way is to spread it with butter and roll it up, which is called lefse-klenning in Norway.
What is the origin of lefse?
The history of lefse is closely linked to Norwegian history. Like the traditional Norwegian flatbread, flatbrød, it was originally invented as a way to store food during the harsh winter months.
Our Introduction to Lefse
When we moved to Minot the first time back in 2012, we were just starting to feel settled when the Norsk Hostfest rolled around. If you want to sound like a local, just call it the Hostfest. You can either say “host-fest” or “hoost-fest” and not look like an idiot.
Appreciation
But as the years went on, something shifted. Gradually, lefse became more and more important to us. I became interested in it. I didn’t just want to eat it, I wanted to make it. And a couple times each year (namely Thanksgiving and Norwegian Independence Day) I had a hankering for it.
Making Lefse
I had dreams of learning to make lefse. Sadly those dreams never came to fruition while we were living in Minot. However, just over two years ago while we were living in Rapid City, our friend Ben came for a visit and taught us to make lefse.
How do you eat lefse?
Good question. According to the Internet, there are lots of ways to eat lefse. I’ll only tell you how people around here eat it. You have three options.
What do you need to make lefse?
As mentioned, you’ll need some special supplies if you want to make your own lefse. Honestly, it’s better to have a friend who already owns the stuff. If you live in North Dakota, you probably won’t have to look too far. It’s seriously crazy how many people we know who personally own their own kit. (If you want to invest, here’s a kit.)
Can I just buy it?
Yep. Grocery stores around here carry lefse. No shame in skipping the process. But you should really make some local friends so you can have the homemade variety at some point.
Conclusion
Now, when someone asks, “What is lefse?” You’ll have all the information they ever wanted to know. The love folks around here have for lefse is deliciously weird and quirky. Which is what makes it so darn great. Have a great week!
