Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1828) of Henrik Johan Ibsen, Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of realism” and one of the most influential playwrights of his time, as well of one of the most influential playwrights in Western literature more generally] His major works include Brand, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, Emperor andalilean, A Doll’s House, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts, The Wild Duck, When We Dead Awaken, Rosmersholm, and The Master Builder. Ibsen is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare, and A Doll’s House was the world’s most performed play in 2006.

One of the most iconic items on the Norwegian menu is lefse, a light potato pancake. 

Day 1:

5 lbs potatoes

1 stick of butter

Because you need the potatoes to be really dry and cool for lefse, cook them a day ahead of time.

Fill a soup kettle (8qt) with water and season with salt, heat to boiling. Wash 5lbs potatoes. Boil until they are soft when tested with a fork (approximately 30 minutes). Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle – slightly warm potatoes are easier to peel. Peel the potatoes an dice them, then rice them or mash them whilst they are warm.  Then melt 1 stick of butter and stir into the hot, riced potatoes. Put the potatoes in a pan and let them cool,  Then refrigerate overnight. .

Day 2:

Break the potatoes down into 4 cup increments — 5lbs of riced potatoes should net about 10 cups:

Per every 4 cups of lightly packed, riced potatoes as prepared on day 1, add:

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

½ cup heavy cream

Plus, keep a generous amount of extra flour on hand.  You need to keep your rolling pin and surface well floured.

Mix the lefse dough: Blend the riced potatoes, sugar, flour, salt, and heavy cream until well integrated. Roll the dough into balls slightly larger than a golf ball and press gently between your palms.  Place them back in the refrigerator to cool.

Pre-heat your cooking surface to 400°F / 205°C: 4.  Prepare your rolling surface: Sprinkle the rolling pin cover and pastry board generously with flour and rub it in well. Roll ou a ball as fine as you can Slide it on your griddle and turn when it toasts on one side.