Can i make Lefse without a Potato Ricer?

I love making lefse. It’s delicious, simple to make and it’s a great way to use up leftover potatoes. However, I’ve never been able to find a potato ricer at the store. So, I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to make lefse without a potato ricer.

Can i make Lefse without a Potato Ricer? Yes. you can use a masher or an electric mixer in place of a potato ricer to make Lefse. With a masher, you don’t actually need a potato ricer!

Lefse is a potato flatbread from Scandinavia. The dough is thinly folded and then fried on a hot grill. It is relished in a variety of ways. It is traditionally buttered, dusted with sugar, rolled up, and eaten as a sweet treat, or it is simply coated with butter and wrapped up to be eaten as an accompaniment to some form of savory cuisine, such as meat and vegetables.

It’s also delicious with a sprinkle of brown sugar or cinnamon on top. Some people even put peanut butter or jelly on it. It is traditionally eaten at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it can be enjoyed all year.

There are numerous lefse recipes, but the fundamental ingredients are potatoes, butter, cream or milk, and flour. Some recipes call for instant potatoes instead of regular potatoes. It is critical to begin with a decent recipe.

Some recipes will be easier to work with than others, but good lefse requires practice. There is information on the type of equipment to use as well as two distinct types of recipes, one using actual potatoes and one using quick potatoes.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe for homemade lefse without using a potato ricer, then this is the article is for you!

Equipment for making Lefse at home

There is particular lefse equipment that will help with the lefse making process, however, most of this equipment is not required. There are some basic cooking tools that can be used as well. The tools required to make lefse are shown below. 

Masher in place of a potato ricer

Although the potato ricer drives the potatoes through small holes in the ricer, this is an effective method for removing any lumps in the potatoes. The potato masher also works well for mashing potatoes without lumps, but it is a little more labor-consuming than the ricer.

To prepare the potatoes, either instrument can be used. To mash the potatoes, you can also use an electric mixer. 

Cloth for Pastry

A well-seasoned pastry towel will come in handy throughout the rolling process. The dough should be rolled out very thinly, and a seasoned pastry towel will assist keep it from sticking when it’s time to transfer it to the grill. If you don’t have a pastry cloth, a lightly floured surface will suffice.

Rolling Pin with Grooves

A grooved rolling pin is ideal for rolling out the dough thinly. It also has the typical lefse marks. When using the grooved rolling pin, take care that the dough does not get stuck in the grooves. This will cause difficulties while rolling out the dough. If you only have a smooth rolling pin, you can use that instead.

Turning Stick Lefse

This is a very long, thin stick that ranges in width from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch. The stick is typically 24″ long. It features a small tapered edge that makes it easy to slide under the lefse when transporting it to the grill and flipping it over when grilling it. If you don’t have a lefse turning stick, a utensil like a pancake turner can be used instead, but it will be more difficult to handle and turn the thin lefse without breaking the dough.

 Lefse Grill

This is a flat, spherical grill that is ideal for frying lefse. Because it has no sides and is flat, it is easy to turn the lefse when frying it. It is commonly made of metal, although it is also available with a nonstick surface.

The nonstick surface may make it more difficult to manage the lefse because it will slip around more, making it difficult to get beneath it correctly when turning it. The grill features a temperature control gauge that allows it to heat up to 500°F, which is what many recipes ask for when frying lefse.

If you do not have a lefse grill, an electric frying pan that can heat up to 450°F can be used instead, but it will be more difficult to turn the lefse when frying due to the edges of the pan, and the size of the lefse will be limited.

How to make Lefse without a Potato Ricer?

Here’s a Lefse Recipe without a Potato rice

Ingredients 

• 5 pounds of potatoes. 
• 7 tablespoons melted or softened butter. 
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 1/2-3 cups of unbleached, AP flour
• More flour for rolling out the dough.
• Serve with: Butter & brown sugar

Instructions

1. Half-fill a big saucepan with cold water.

2. Scrub the potatoes. Peel the banana and chop it into similar-sized bits. You can roast some of the peels for a snack if you keep some of them. To prevent oxidation and browning, toss potato pieces into cold water as you chop them.

Toss potato peels with olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake until the bacon is crispy.

3. Place the pot on the heat and bring it to a boil. Simmer the potatoes until they are fork tender or easily smashable with kitchen tongs.

4. Remove potatoes from water. While they are still warm, rice them twice.

5. Combine the butter, salt, sugar, and cream in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate overnight.

6. The following day, knead the flour into the potato mixture. I normally start with two cups and end up kneading in three. You may require more or less. If you use less flour, the lefse will have a more delicate texture. Divide the dough into two portions once it has been mostly combined for easy kneading. The dough should be smooth, slightly elastic, and a little sticky but not overly wet.

7. Form the dough into little balls and place it in the refrigerator for about an hour. It’s nearly impossible to work with warm dough. It will rip, tear, and adhere to the surface of the roller.

8. Preheat the griddle. I cook with a large electric skillet.

9. Liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the ball of dough gently, adding extra flour underneath and on top as needed to keep it from sticking. It’s fine if you end up using a lot of flour. Roll it as thin as possible without ripping it. This is much easier using a spatula or dough scraper. If a particular ball of dough continues to rip, simply roll it back into a ball, re-flour your surfaces, and try again.

10. Immediately after rolling your lefse, use a spatula, dough scraper, or lefse stick to gently transfer it on the griddle. Allowing the paper-thin dough to sit on the counter will cause it to warm up and stick.

11. Cook the lefse until light golden brown bubbles appear. Flip.

12 Place the cooked lefse on a platter or clean towel. They can be folded in half or quarters. Allow it cool entirely on the counter before covering it with another clean towel.

13. Layer unfolded sheets of lefse between waxed paper to freeze. Place in freezer bags and keep in the freezer. Wrapping the bags in foil can help keep the freezer burn flavor at bay. Thaw the frozen lefse in the refrigerator until ready to use.

14. I know it’s sacrilegious, but I prefer a little crunch on my lefse. Reheat them in a skillet for a few minutes.
15.  Roll into logs and spread with butter and brown sugar.

Conclusion

Because producing lefse is difficult, homemade lefse is extremely special. It’s not insurmountably difficult, but it is unquestionably a labor of love. The recipe calls for boiling potatoes, ricing them twice, whisking in salt, butter, and cream, then chilling the concoction overnight. This is a critical stage.

The following day, knead the flour into the potato mixture, divide the dough into balls, and chill them again. The final step is to roll out the finicky dough as thinly as possible and cook the lefse fast on a griddle. Making lefse is a form of walking meditation.

Hopefully, you can now make homemade lefse without using a potato ricer.