Raspeballer

Raspeballer are dumplings made from grated raw potato mixed with cooked potato, flour and salt, sometimes with a piece of salted meat pressed inside, boiled in salted water or meat stock and served with salted lamb or pork, sausage, swede mash and melted butter or bacon fat. They are heavy in a way that reflects their origin as food for physical work. What is striking is the naming: komle in Rogaland and Bergen, kumle in parts of the west, klubb in Trondelag and the north, potetball, raspekake, kompe and a dozen others, with each district insisting on its own word and recipe. Thursday is the conventional day for them in canteens and cafeterias.

What you actually see

• The grated potato dumplings - boiled balls, often with meat inside.
• The salted meat - lamb, pork or sausage served alongside.
• The regional names - komle, klubb, kumle and many others.
• The Thursday convention - the traditional day in canteens and cafes.

When to go

Year-round, with Thursday the conventional day in workplace canteens, cafeterias and some restaurants; autumn and winter suit the heaviness better than summer.

Honest expectations

The dish is genuinely heavy and portions are large; one is often enough. It is plain food without seasoning beyond salt, which surprises visitors. Restaurant versions are less common than canteen ones, and the best are usually homemade.

Nearby

Cafeterias across Rogaland, Vestland and Trondelag serve them, with each region using its own name.