everybody loves knishes!

these small pastries, called k'nishes, are a much loved and uniquely [eastern european] jewish staple snack item — and cousin to the bureka, their sephardic counterpart. they were first brought over to the united states (and canada!!) by the waves of european jewish immigrants looking for a better life and escaping persecution. i wouldn't be surprised if they were the invention of some housewives looking for ways to use up scraps of dough and leftover mashed potatoes.

knishes were typically a homemade item and still are in some households [usually the more religious or observant ones]. today people mostly buy them already made from a bakery however, for convenience's sake. the knish became popularized in new york city by the romanian rabbi, yonah schimmel who made his own and sold them from a pushcart. the rest, as they say, is history. there are aficionados who will argue that schimmel's are the best even though there are many places to buy them, each with its own unique taste.

the original shape of the knish is small and round, as i show in this post. there are now a wide variety of shapes, sizes and fillings. the dough can also be made in a number of ways — of course, the richer the dough, fortified with eggs and butter or margarine, the more delicious it is. the most popular ones use a puff pastry type dough {no big surprise!}. i have several different recipes i use; this one is a very basic one and can be made without eggs, for those who do not use them. it is also parve [without animal products].

popular fillings are potato, potato and onion, potato and mushroom, mushroom, kasha (buckwheat groats), mixed ground-up vegetable, and the list goes on. they even sell "pizza" knishes where i live which is a mixture of ground up vegetables with an italian seasoning which replicates, or tries to, the taste of pizza. see the yonah schimmel link above for examples.

knishes are forgiving in that you can flavour the fillings to suit your fancy. i personally like lots of onions with a potato filling, which i have made here. over the course of time, i'll add the other versions of knishes with the different types of doughs. this one is a very simple one which, i find, tastes better the next day.

these little guys can be used as a starch component for a meal, often served along with a brisket or roast chicken — with gravy is "da bomb!" — or they can be eaten as snacks, as is. whichever way you have them, they're great! experiment with them to find the flavouring you like or follow what i put here. in the end, they're easy to make for those who are "pastry-challenged". of course, you can always skip the dough and cheat by purchasing and using a puff pastry from grocer or bakery. just follow the basic directions shown here for shaping. hope you enjoy!

update 2008: see this post for variations (flaky & strudel dough types)

potato knishes
seasoned mashed potato & onion filled pastries

this version is a beginners-type knish recipe. its very simple dough is quick to make and easily rolled out. in addition, it is a low fat knish in that there is very little [fat] used in the pastry and filling. note that onced baked, the texture for this type knish is softer and chewier than other kinds which use dough with a much higher fat content. recipes for those kind, though, soon to come!

makes 10, double quantities for more

pastry:

1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp margarine (non dairy/parve)
1/4 c + 2 tbsp lukewarm water

NOTE: if you don't want to make the dough, use a commercial puff pastry and follow the same directions in the recipe to shape them.

filling:

3 medium potatoes
1 large onion
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 or more tsp sugar
onion and garlic powder to taste, optional
1 egg for filling, optional

1 egg for egg wash*, optional

*a non-animal eggwash can also be made using a mixture of water mixed with cornstarch: 1 1/2 T cornstarch per cup of cold water; one can also use a non dairy creamer like Richs.

another possibility is to just use milk or cream to "wash" the pastry.

method:

the dough:

mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.

add the margarine and crumble it with your fingers until the texture is like coarse breadcrumbs.

add the lukewarm water gradually and make a ball of the dough. it may feel a bit tacky at first.

knead the dough for about 2 minutes only. over-kneading it will give it a tough final texture. the dough will be very soft and nice to handle.

refrigerate the dough and make the stuffing.

the filling:

peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. boil them until tender. the smaller you cut them, the faster they cook.

while the potatoes are boiling, dice the onion and fry it in the oil over medium heat until golden. some people prefer it when they are just turning brown. that will be your choice :)

place the browned onions in a bowl big enough to hold the potatoes.

drain the potatoes and add them to the onions.

mash the potatoes with a potato masher or use the spoon. if you use a spoon, the mixture will be more coarse. usually the potato knish filling is very smooth like mashed potatoes. alternatively, you can use a ricer and add them directly, riced, into the onions.

mix together and add the salt, pepper and sugar. add the onion and garlic powder if using. taste and adjust. the filling is often very seasoned but that depends upon where you live as different cities have different versions they like. where i live it is often both sweet and peppery.

add the egg if you are using it.


making the knishes:

preheat oven to 350F.

on a floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle which measures 15 inches in length by 10 inches in width.

place the filling along the length of the dough from end to end about 2 1/2 inches up from the start of the dough. make sure to leave this edge.

smooth out the filling with a water moistened spatula. the filling should be about 2 inches wide; don't worry about how high it measures.

take the bottom of the dough and pull it over the filling along the length.

roll the whole thing until you get to the end and place it down on the seam side.

measure 1 1/2 lengths and with a moistened knife, cut the pieces.


place the knishes on a baking tray on the flat side. leave about 1 1/2 to 2 inches between each knish.

to form the knishes:

pull up the dough at the top of the knish just a bit, very gently, and squeeze it together so that it meets at the center. then push it down into the filling just a bit [see photos].

if the filling pushes out a bit in the center of the pastry, that is perfectly fine. just push it in the center. a little bit sticking out is normal.

what about the bottoms of the dough, you ask?? while baking, a crust forms on the potato mixture so that it all holds together. it will not fall out of the dough. (it better not!!).

egg wash the knishes with one beaten egg or the alternatives (see ingredients list).

bake the knishes for 35 minutes or until nice and golden brown.

enjoy!