Knishes, beloved and iconic Jewish treats, are delectable pockets of dough enveloping a rich and flavorful filling, traditionally made with mashed potatoes and onions. These savory delights trace their culinary roots back to Eastern European Jewish communities, where they were often served as a hearty snack or light meal, especially during Sabbath gatherings.
The beauty of knishes lies in their versatility and regional variations. While the classic potato and onion filling remains a staple, there's a whole world of other fillings to explore. From tangy sauerkraut and savory mushroom to piquant spinach and creamy cheese, the possibilities are endless. And let's not forget the golden-brown crust, which can be soft and pillowy or flaky and crisp, depending on the dough recipe and cooking method.
In this culinary adventure, we'll embark on a journey to create three distinct types of knishes: the traditional potato and onion knishes, the tangy sauerkraut knishes, and the creamy spinach knishes. Each recipe will guide you through the art of crafting a perfect knish, from preparing the dough to assembling and baking these delectable treats.
So, gather your ingredients, ignite your culinary passion, and let's embark on a delicious exploration of knishes, the old-fashioned way
SARAH'S KNISH
Traditional Jewish treat of little golden pastry domes filled with seasoned mashed potatoes and fried onions.
Provided by Sarah Dipity
Categories Side Dish Potato Side Dish Recipes
Time 3h
Yield 60
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Combine potatoes and onions in a large bowl; season with 2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic. Mash until smooth; set aside.
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, warm water, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually stir in flour. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Divide the dough into thirds and roll each piece out to about 9x13-inches. Slice the rolled dough in half lengthwise, then spread the potato mixture down the center of each strip. Roll each strip around the filling and gently press to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to end with six logs.
- Cut each log into 1-inch slices and place cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the edges of the dough toward the center of the potato mixture to form a bun. Beat egg yolks and milk together in a small bowl. Brush each knish with the the egg yolk mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 80.3 calories, Carbohydrate 11.3 g, Cholesterol 13.1 mg, Fat 3.2 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 1.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, Sodium 121 mg, Sugar 0.6 g
CONEY ISLAND KNISHES
One of my earliest 'exotic' food experiences was eating potato knishes with my Dad in Coney Island. I mean, mashed potatoes in a warm, flaky pastry? This potato fiend will have two, please. Back then their secret was the copious amounts of chicken fat, aka schmaltz, but here I'll show you how succeed without it. Leftover corned beef really shines in these, but anything goes, as long as the base is mashed potato spiked with onions and fried in lots of fat.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Side Dish Potato Side Dish Recipes
Time 3h
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add egg, vinegar, oil, and warm water. Mix by hand until dough pulls together. Turn dough out onto the counter and knead until soft, smooth, and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; transfer to a mixing bowl. Mash and set aside.
- Chop corned beef and cabbage into fine pieces.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, kosher salt, corned beef, and cabbage. Cook and stir until onions are soft and golden brown and beef fat is rendered, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer beef mixture into the bowl with the mashed potatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix until combined and let cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with silicone mats.
- Divide dough in half; flatten one half into a rectangle on a floured surface. Roll out into a larger rectangle about 1/8-inch thick, pulling the corners as needed.
- Place 3 cups filling over one long end, about 3 inches away from the edges. Beat egg with water and brush over the opposite end and a little on the sides. Stretch the dough to cover the filling, then roll up toward the egg-washed side. Fold the last 3 or 4 inches on top. Press in the filling; roll over so seam-side is on the bottom.
- Trim off excess dough from the ends if desired. Mark, but do not cut, dough into 8 equal pieces. Flour the side of your hand and press into the marks. Rub back and forth against the counter to separate each piece. Position each piece with one cut end facing down and the other facing up. Squish down the top and tuck everything into the center to form a round knish.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush bottoms with olive oil and place on the prepared baking sheets. Brush leftover egg wash on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden-brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool until just warm or room-temperature.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 300.7 calories, Carbohydrate 31.4 g, Cholesterol 46.2 mg, Fat 16.6 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 6.9 g, SaturatedFat 5.2 g, Sodium 628.8 mg, Sugar 1.8 g
KNISH
Knish is a classic Jewish comfort food. Sometimes I make tiny appetizer ones, which are a little more like a roll, and I seam on the top. -Marlena Spieler, Waterlooville, England
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Snacks
Time 35m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- For pastry, in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in sour cream, adding 3-4 tablespoons water to form a dough. Shape into a disk, mixture will be crumbly. Wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight., Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until tender, 8-10 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir until tender, 8-10 minutes. , Drain potatoes; return to pan and stir over low heat 1 minute to dry. Mash potatoes; stir in onion mixture, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. Stir in eggs., Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10x12 -in. rectangle. Cut into 16 squares. Spoon 1 tablespoon potato filling in the middle of each square. Brush the edges with water. Fold each corner toward the center, meeting in the middle. Arrange, seam side down, on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 246 calories, Fat 14g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 63mg cholesterol, Sodium 443mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 5g protein.
SUPER EASY POTATO KNISHES
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400F/204C.
- MAKE POTATO MIXTURE: To fry onions, heat oil on medium heat and sauté onions for 5-6 minutes just until slightly brown. Combine mashed potatoes and caramelized onions in a medium bowl with a fork. Season with salt and pepper - or 2 tablespoons of dry onion soup mix - to taste. You can omit the salt and pepper if you are using leftover mashed potatoes that are already seasoned.
- MAKE KNISHES: You will make two rolls of knishes from each sheet of puff pastry. On a lightly floured surface, unroll one sheet of puff pastry dough. It should be about 1/4 inch/0.63cm thick or less. Stretch out or roll dough a bit if necessary. Spread potato filling to resemble a log - about 2 inches/5cm thick - along one side of the rolled dough. Fold dough over the potato about 1 1/2 times in a jelly-roll fashion, making a log/roll. Cut away remaining dough with a sharp knife for the next roll. Tuck ends and pinch seams together well (to ensure filling doesn't seep out). Repeat with other half of dough on the same sheet of dough. Then do the same with the second sheet of dough. If you have extra dough and potato mixture left over, make a 5th roll.
- BAKE: Place rolls on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down. Brush egg wash on rolls which will create a glazed golden look (optional). Bake for 25-30 minutes to a golden brown flaky pastry. If any potato mixture seeps out, tuck it back into the knish roll with a knife.
- TO SERVE: Cut rolls of finished knishes into 2 inch/5 cm pieces on the diagonal and serve. To make ahead (recommended!) see Note 2.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 90 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 6 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 38 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
KNISHES THE OLD FASHION WAY
I've been making these for about 40 years. They make a wonderful make ahead appetizer and made larger are good as an accompaniment with a soup to round off a meal. I prepare them ahead and freeze them before they are actually cooked. They taste even better after frozen and can be baked in the oven and ready in about a half...
Provided by Helaine Norman
Categories Poultry Appetizers
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- 1. Tip 1: Make the fillings first, even a day or so ahead so they will be all ready to put into the dough. Tip 2: These are even more delicious after frozen at the point before baking. Bake them when they are fresh or while still frozen. Tip 3:Do not thaw them after freezing. Bake them frozen. Tip 4: Anything too good to throw away can be made into a filling. Note: Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat, but olive oil works especially if you add some good dry chicken soup mix to it for extra taste. PASTRY: Sift dry ingredients together. Add rest of ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Dust a bowl with flour lightly. Turn it upside-down to remove excess. Put dough in and covery with damp dish towell, cloth or plastic wrAp. Let stand 15 minutes. Knead in mixer with dough hook JUST UNTIL ELASTIC. Work with 1/4 of the dough at a time keeping remainder covered. Fill one part of dough before rolling out nex part. Roll out (with rolling pin) and stretch dough into rounds about 20 inches in diameter, or as rectangular as possible.Make them as thin as possible. (The thinner the better tasting and the more knishes you can make.) Brush dough with oil, or melted butter or margarine. Put line of filling 1 to 1 1/2 inches from edge (and one inch thick) across width. Roll envelope style twice. Cut away this part from remainder and repeat untl used up. Brush with oil, or butter or margarine. Place seam-side down on liberally oiled (or my preference is to use parchment lined pans). Mash each roll with the palm of the hand to make it slightly flatter on top. Cut slits on top of the log about 1 1/2 inches apart to indicate where to finish slicing (and to make it easier to slice) once the logs are finished baking. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. May turn once during baking, if desired. Serve as an appetizer or as a soup accompaniment or even with a salad as an entree. This pastry dough yields about 60 knishes so make plenty of filli
- 2. Potato: Saute onions in fast or olk until golden. Blend with rest of ingredients. Yield 30
- 3. Beef: Saute onions in choice of fat or oil until golden. Combine all together. Yield 30
- 4. Chicken: Combine all ingredients. Yield 30
- 5. Hot Dog: Just use them as is.
POTATO-KASHA KNISHES
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 2h30m
Yield 6 knishes
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Start with our step-by-step knish how-to.
- Make the dough: Put the flour in a food processor, then pulse as you pour the olive oil through the feed tube. Scrape down the sides of the processor and pulse again.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in the seltzer and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Pulse as you pour the liquid through the feed tube, 20 to 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Flatten into an even disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Make the filling: Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and season with salt. Simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and coarsely mash in a large bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook about 5 minutes; uncover and cook, stirring, until browned, 15 to 20 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the kasha in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until toasted, about 4 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then add to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the onions and mash.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making the knishes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F; lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.
- Make the knishes; place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes; brush with olive oil and continue baking until golden, 25 to 35 more minutes. Serve with mustard.
CLASSIC OLD FASHIONED
One of the great classic bourbon cocktails, the Old Fashioned was invented in Louisville, KY. Try bourbon, rye, or a blended whiskey in this cocktail. You can also sub one sugar cube for the simple syrup.
Provided by c-biskit
Categories Drinks Recipes Cocktail Recipes Whiskey Drinks Recipes
Time 10m
Yield 1
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Pour the simple syrup, water, and bitters into a whiskey glass. Stir to combine, then place the ice cubes in the glass. Pour bourbon over the ice and garnish with the orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 145 calories, Carbohydrate 9.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 0 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 0.1 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 7.5 mg, Sugar 1.3 g
Tips:
- Use cold butter and cream cheese for the filling: This will help to prevent the filling from becoming too soft and runny.
- Do not overwork the dough: Overworking the dough will make it tough and chewy.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out: This will help to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and work surface.
- Brush the tops of the knishes with egg wash before baking: This will give them a golden brown color.
- Serve the knishes warm with your favorite toppings: Some popular toppings include sour cream, applesauce, and mustard.
Conclusion:
Knishes are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are also a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. With a little time and effort, you can easily make knishes at home. So next time you're looking for a new recipe to try, give these old-fashioned knishes a try!
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