POTATO
We spent week 6 learning the value of the potato. We were asked to bring in, reflect on, and write about a potato based recipe from our family. Many recipes crossed my mind - cheesy potato soup made every year for Peterson Christmas, potato pancakes, or cheesy potatoes served at every Brueggen get together. Then it hit me, there was nothing more me than LEFSA!
I was raised with very strong influence of my heritage. I am German on my mom's side, and Norwegian on my dad's side. While the German is celebrated very little, my Norwegian Peterson is very strong! I come from a HUGE family. Every year we have "Peterson Christmas" on Christmas Eve. We serve Norwegian meatballs, lutefisk, kringle, and potato lefsa. Norwegian Santa even comes to visit, and leaves little goodies for everyone! Around this time my grandma, aunts, all my girl cousins, and I get together and spend a whole day (yes, because it takes that long) doing Norwegian baking. This includes kringle, lefsa, strull, sandbakkels, and rosettes. We've done this as long as I can remember, and have always enjoyed being able to get together squished into grandma's little kitchen with flour flying, hot griddles, and lots of love. UFFDA!
I have always been very proud of my Norwegian heritage, because I grew up in a family that was proud. We still have family in Norway that comes to visit, and that my great aunts often visit.
I was raised with very strong influence of my heritage. I am German on my mom's side, and Norwegian on my dad's side. While the German is celebrated very little, my Norwegian Peterson is very strong! I come from a HUGE family. Every year we have "Peterson Christmas" on Christmas Eve. We serve Norwegian meatballs, lutefisk, kringle, and potato lefsa. Norwegian Santa even comes to visit, and leaves little goodies for everyone! Around this time my grandma, aunts, all my girl cousins, and I get together and spend a whole day (yes, because it takes that long) doing Norwegian baking. This includes kringle, lefsa, strull, sandbakkels, and rosettes. We've done this as long as I can remember, and have always enjoyed being able to get together squished into grandma's little kitchen with flour flying, hot griddles, and lots of love. UFFDA!
I have always been very proud of my Norwegian heritage, because I grew up in a family that was proud. We still have family in Norway that comes to visit, and that my great aunts often visit.
POTATO LEFSA:
We tend to use Russet potatoes for our potato lefsa. Truly, anything will work.
Russet is our pick because they boil well but also don't get too soft. Wash, peel,
and cut the potatoes. Halves, or quarters usually work - anything boils better
than a whole potato! Place the potatoes into a deep pot, and pour in enough
water just to cover the potatoes. Heat and let boil until potatoes become soft.
Every Norwegian baker has a potato ricer - this is why!
The baked potatoes are then drained of the water and
riced with a potato ricer! This helps to get the potatoes more
incorporated into the dough, instead of just making potato mush.
The riced potatoes are mixed with 1/2 c. heavy cream, 12 T. butter, 3 3/4 c. four,
and 1/4 t. salt. I'd like to say this just gets mixed up quickly with a spatula...but that is
definitely not the case! This will take a lot of elbow grease, don't be afraid to get
your hands messy. This is when the flour starts flying in the kitchen!
The dough is then formed into small patties - about 1/3 cup dough per lefsa.
My family generally places these patties on a plate placed in the refrigerator.
One patty is taken out when it is ready to be rolled and fried, and the rest left in
the fridge until it is they're turn!
After the patties have been refrigerated for about an hour - they are ready to roll, literally! You'll need a lot of flour, A LOT! You'll want to flour your surface about every two patties, flour your roller (with rolling sock on), and a small amount of flour on top of your patty. Your first probably won't roll out right, probably not even your second...or even third. Rolling lefsa is really something to learn. My 90 year old Great Grandpa Eness taught me, and now I get to help teach my cousins. You must roll in all directions - otherwise you'll end up with square lefsa!
The lefsa is then placed on a griddle which is warmed to 500 degrees using a lefsa turner (which you can see me holding in the pictures above). Baking lefsa is similar to frying a pancake. When bubbles have begun to appear on the top side, the lefsa is ready to flip. Then you just wait for the bubbles to darken, and the lefsa is ready to be removed from the griddle. This won't take long - about 7 to 10 minutes!
From the griddle each lefsa is placed between a sheet of plastic wrap and a towel.
You may also want to dust your lefsa with a cheese cloth towel to get rid of the excess
flour. The plastic wrap and towel together keep your lefsa from drying out immediately.
When you are done making lefsa you will want to uncover the pile and lay it out to dry then.
Store in plastic wrap - freezes great!
1. Potatoes are indigenous to the Andes Mountains area in South America.
2. Christopher Columbus reaches New World in 1492.
3. A trade begins along the Atlantic Ocean, exchanging goods between the New World and Old World. This trade allows for the movement of potatoes into Europe.
4. Corn, and tapioca were also very important to Africa.
5. A 1772 famine takes place in Hungary.
6. In France, Marie Antoinette, wore potato flowers in her hair to persuade her people to join in on the potato trend that was sweeping Europe.
7. One of the greatest famine's in world history takes place in Ireland starting in 1845. Ireland began to grow the potato in the mid 1700's in order to sustain their population. The introduction of the potato also allowed for the growth of their population. However, because of their extreme dependence on the potato 1 million people were killed over the famine's 3 years.
8. A famine also occurs in Russia during 1921. This famine kills over 5 million people, lasting only a little less than two years.
2. Christopher Columbus reaches New World in 1492.
3. A trade begins along the Atlantic Ocean, exchanging goods between the New World and Old World. This trade allows for the movement of potatoes into Europe.
4. Corn, and tapioca were also very important to Africa.
5. A 1772 famine takes place in Hungary.
6. In France, Marie Antoinette, wore potato flowers in her hair to persuade her people to join in on the potato trend that was sweeping Europe.
7. One of the greatest famine's in world history takes place in Ireland starting in 1845. Ireland began to grow the potato in the mid 1700's in order to sustain their population. The introduction of the potato also allowed for the growth of their population. However, because of their extreme dependence on the potato 1 million people were killed over the famine's 3 years.
8. A famine also occurs in Russia during 1921. This famine kills over 5 million people, lasting only a little less than two years.