Norwegian Potato Flatbread (Lefse)

This is my take on Norwegian flatbread. Without really knowing what I was doing, these came out delightfully tender, supple, almost fabric-like in texture, and tasting deliciously like something between a crepe and a potato pancake. They’re traditionally served with butter and a sprinkle of sugar, but I also enjoy them with some smoked salmon, sour cream, and fresh dill. My other favorite topping combo is butter and some kind of berry jam and sour cream.

Step: 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line an oven-safe skillet or baking pan with aluminum foil.

Step: 2

Poke the potato skin all over with a knife and place on the prepared pan.

Step: 3

Roast in the preheated oven until very tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle but still very warm.

Step: 4

Scoop potato flesh out into a bowl. Mash smooth with the back of a spatula until there are no lumps left. You can also use a potato ricer. Add the butter and mix until it disappears. Add the salt, sugar, and cream; mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Step: 5

Mix in flour in several additions until the dough is able to be kneaded by hand. Add enough flour to form a soft, but not too sticky, dough. You need to be able to roll it out fairly thin without it falling apart.

Step: 6

Wrap dough with plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Step: 7

Divide dough into 8 portions. Dust each with flour and roll out onto a well-floured kitchen towel to 1/8-inch thick, or thinner.

Step: 8

Heat a very lightly buttered nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the lefse in the hot pan, poking the surface lightly with a fork, until golden brown blisters form, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Stack on a plate as they’re cooked and keep covered with a towel. Serve warm.

Per Serving: 139 calories; protein 2.7g; carbohydrates 20.7g; fat 5.1g; cholesterol 15.9mg; sodium 296.9mg.

The best flavour of the flour can make a real difference to your bread. Different brands do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal dough , which doesn’t always getting bigger as well as white bread.

To make this in a breadmaker , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the makers instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be done in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can start it night before , then finish it off the next day.