Flour was flying as dozens of hands moved like clockwork, rolling, patting, turning and folding. The smell of frying flatbread permeated the entryway to St. Olaf Lutheran as “church ladies” — and today, even some men — churned out thousands of pieces of lefse, a time-honored tradition handed down in Norwegian families.

What: Annual festival includes pastries, meatball dinner, crafts and more. Proceeds benefit mission programs.

When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8; meatball dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: St. Olaf Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall and entryway

How much: Advance tickets for meatball dinner are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 4-10, 3 and under free; lefse is $18 per dozen, $9 per half-dozen and $4.50 for three.

“Each batch of lefse involves three days of work,” explained Ila Akkerman, dubbed lefse-making “consultant” by Karen Olson, president of the Women of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). The women are two of about 35 people who slaved over hot lefse grills Tuesday in preparation for the annual Scandinavian Bazaar Oct. 8. They also rolled lefse on Monday, and mixed the dough on Saturday.

On their second day this week, they had 11 irons running and had generated a total of 1,232 pieces of lefse.

The first day of each batch is peeling, boiling and mixing potatoes; the next two days are rolling … and rolling … and rolling.

Akkerman said Tuesday the church had bought about 220 pounds of potatoes for that batch, and will need more for the remaining two batches.

The recipe is a “long-lived one from St. Olaf,” Akkerman said.

It is not known how many decades the church has held its festival, which includes homemade lefse, donuts, pastries and Scandinavian imports, handicrafts for Lutheran World Relief, a meatball dinner and more. Proceeds benefit mission programs.

“Many, years. A long, long time,” Akkerman said. “We need new people (to help make lefse). Some people just can’t come anymore.”

The bazaar will also include at Fellowship Hall a meatball dinner with gravy, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, cranberries, coleslaw, lefse and Scandinavian pastries.

Irene Montgomery helped roll and fry lefse Tuesday — her first day ever making the flatbread. She used the thick rolling pin and “sock” to spread the floured dough, flipping it on a flat grill with a lefse stick.

“I don’t even know if I’m doing it right or wrong, unless they say stop,” Montgomery said with a laugh.

“I did it!” she proclaimed after perfectly frying a piece and flipping it without a rip.

Pat Johnson helped out novice Robert Bahl with his first lefse-making experience Tuesday.

“It seems to go pretty easy,” he said. The duo made about 10 plates, Johnson said.

32 cups riced potatoes

1 pound butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup (scant) salt

1 quart whipping cream

8 cups flour (for after dough has been cooled)

Peel, boil and drain potatoes; rice warm potatoes. Mix with rest of ingredients and cool. Mix in flour and shape into mashed potato-like balls. Roll, using flour to prevent sticking, and fry. Lay lefse between cloths to cool. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Other volunteers have been making lefse for as long as they can remember.

Arlene Bednar has been helping out the Women of the ELCA since she retired 18 years ago.

“I just pack — I don’t roll,” she emphasized as she worked with Kate Holland, who did all the rolling.

Bednar, who is of Norwegian descent, said making lefse is a tradition in her family.

“My mother always did, and now my son does,” she said.

The Scandinavian Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8; the meatball dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advance tickets for the meatball dinner are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 4-10 and free for kids 3 and under. Lefse is $18 per dozen, $9 per half-dozen and $4.50 for three.

Lefse-lovers be warned: They are usually sold out by 10 a.m.