Tired of tortillas? Past the pita pandemonium? Do you have leftover mashed potatoes in your refrigerator and flour in your pantry? Then you have the makings for a unique Norwegian flatbread known as lefse. Unlike traditional oven-baked breads, these Scandinavian breads bake on a griddle, like pancakes or crepes. While the preparation takes time, lefse loaves freeze well for later use. This transforms your leftover mashed potatoes into a new and exotic dish you can serve with breakfast, lunch or dinner. Plan ahead when you want to bake lefse, as the dough requires overnight refrigeration before rolling and cooking.
Instructions
1. Pass the mashed potatoes through a ricer to smooth out any lumps.
2. Combine the mashed potatoes and the cream in a mixing bowl.
3. Fold in the sifted flour, stirring briefly to just combine into a stiff dough (see tip).
4. Refrigerate the dough for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper or pastry cloth and dust liberally with flour.
6. Heat the electric griddle to 400 degrees F or place a skillet over medium-low heat to preheat and liberally coat the surface with oil.
7. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and shape into a log 2 inches wide.
8. Score the log into 2-inch-long sections. Cut off one section and move it into the center of the floured surface.
9. Oil and flour the rolling pin and roll the section into a paper-thin 7-inch-wide circle. Alternatively, place a second sheet of parchment paper over the top of the dough section to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin, and roll the dough between the two pieces of parchment.
10. Use the spatula to remove the thinly rolled dough and transfer it to the hot griddle.
11. Cook for one minute on the first side until the bottom begins to lightly brown.
12. Flip the lefse over and cook for an additional minute on the back.
13. Move the cooked lefse to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining dough.
14. Allow the lefse to cool completely before folding into thirds, stacking six loaves on top of each other with wax paper between each lefse. Wrap the lefse in aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped package into a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using frozen lefse.
Tags: mashed potatoes, floured surface, leftover mashed, leftover mashed potatoes, parchment paper, rolling roll