Norwegian Flatbreads Food

NORWEGIAN FLAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oil, baking soda, and salt. Add enough buttermilk to make a stiff dough.
• Knead dough for 30 seconds on a well-floured surface.
• Cover dough to prevent drying. Roll 1/4 cup handfuls of dough into balls and pat into a flat circle. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into 10 inch circles. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Score pieces into pie shapes by running a knife along but not through dough. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack briefly before breaking along scored lines.

BASIC LEFSE: NORWEGIAN POTATO FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 175 F. Peel the potatoes, making sure that no peels or eyes remain. Coarsely chop them into 1-inch pieces.
• In a stockpot, bring water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil them until they are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drain the boiled potatoes well. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bring them into the hot oven for 15 minutes to dry them further.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and pass them through a ricer . You need them to be finely riced, so twice through the ricer might give you a better texture. You should have at least 4 cups of riced potatoes.
• Mix in the heavy cream, butter, sugar, and salt.
• Mix well and place the potato dough in the refrigerator, covered, to chill overnight.
• Preheat a lefse griddle or your skillet of choice to 425 F. You need a very hot surface to properly cook the lefse. Use a pastry blender to cut the flour into the chilled potatoes, or vigorously knead the flour in until you have a smooth dough.
• With the help of an ice cream scoop, divide the dough into 16 to 20 biscuit-sized balls.
• Generously flour a pastry cloth or board and a rolling pin. Roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch circle, dusting with more flour as needed.
• Carefully lift the circle with a lefse stick or the handle of a flat wooden spatula. Transfer it quickly to the griddle.
• Cook the lefse on the griddle until brown spots begin to appear.
• Flip and cook the other side.
• Remove the cooked lefse to a plate lined with a damp clean cloth to cool. Cover with another damp cloth. Continue to cook the remaining dough balls until you've used all of the dough.
• Serve the lefse smeared with butter to taste and a sprinkle or two of sugar.
• Enjoy.

NORWEGIAN FLATBREADS

Steps:

• In medium saucepan over high heat, combine potatoes and cold water to cover. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and force potatoes through ricer or food mill into large bowl. Stir in butter. Add salt and cream and stir until smooth. Add flour and stir until dough forms (do not overmix). Cover and chill at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
• In small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon. Lightly oil 10-inch cast iron skillet and set over moderately low heat. Have ready rolling pin, pastry bench scraper, and thin metal spatula.
• Turn dough out onto well-floured work surface. Using pastry bench scraper, cut in half and return half to bowl. Cut other piece in half again; cut 1 piece into 8 small pieces and reserve other piece.
• Pat 1 small piece to flatten. Dough may be very soft and sticky, depending on moisture content of potato - add some of 3 cups flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using scraper, flip dough over and pat again to flatten. Roll patty out to 7-inch circle.
• Using pastry bench scraper, carefully transfer flatbread to hot skillet and cook until dough bubbles and is beginning to brown underneath, less than 1 minute. Using thin, flexible metal spatula, flip flatbread over and cook other side until lightly brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate and brush off any excess flour. Scrape any excess flour out of skillet.
• Repeat rolling and cooking with 8 small pieces of dough, then divide remaining piece of dough on counter into 8 pieces and roll and cook each piece. Repeat process with remaining dough in bowl to make 32 flatbreads.
• To serve, brush warm lefse with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, and roll up. Serve warm.

NORWEGIAN FLATBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl or in the food processor, blend the pureed potato, flour, and salt together.
• Add the water and blend well until the dough will hold together in a cohesive ball. With a sharp knife, divide into 10 equal portions. Turn these out, one at a time, onto a floured surface and roll into circles.
• Roll as thin as possible, at most 1/8 inch, so each is approximately 7 to 8 inches across. Prick all over with the tines of a fork.
• Lightly oil a griddle or large skillet and heat until it is very hot. One by one, place the rolled circles onto the griddle and cook until the bottoms begin to show light browning. Then turn and cook the other side.
• Keep turning until the whole cracker is dry and crisp. Do not allow the flatbread to get more than medium brown. Cool on a rack.
• VARIATIONS: Substitute any pureed vegetable for potatoes. Flours other than rye can also be used. Try wheat or barley. If the dough is too sticky to roll, add a little more flour. Letting the dough rest for an hour after mixing will also make it easier to roll.
• Flatbread can also be cooked in the oven. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 400~F. for 8 to 12 minutes, or until crisp, turning 2 or 3 times.

NORWEGIAN POTATO AND RYE PANCAKE FLATBREADS - LEFSE

Steps:

• Put the mashed potatoes into a large bowl and add the flour, sugar and salt - mix well.
• Add some water - bit by bit, kneading well so it makes a pliable dough.
• Take little balls from the dough - the size of a small egg and roll them out thinly on a well floured surface.
• Heat up a flat griddle, hotplate or skillet and cook the Lefse with a little fat until the dough bubbles.
• Turn them over and cook the other side.
• When the Lefse have been cooked - they should be smooth and soft.
• Eat them as I have suggested in the Introduction!
• For Vegetarian make sure the Fat is from a Vegetable product such as vegetable oil not from an animal product such as lard.