Comforting Knishes Recipes

KNISH

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.

CONEY ISLAND KNISHES

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.

KNISHES (((MY GRANDMOM'S GREATEST))) APPETIZER OR SIDE DISH

Steps:

• 3 weeks to 3 months prior to making knishes, sauté 2 large onions with 3 oz. chicken fat with skin in peanut oil until brown. Crumble up the skin into pieces.
• Add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda when onions are nearly done.
• Mix the sautéed onions with a few ounces of sauteed schmaltz (chicken fat with crumbled skin) thoroughly.
• Wrap or seal tightly and place into freezer.
• This is called "grieven" and is the secret to wonderful tasting knishes.
• Defrost the grieven prior to making the knishes.
• FOR THE FILLING: Place mashed potatoes into large mixing bowl.
• In a skillet heat the grieven mixture and add it into the mashed potatoes.
• Season to taste with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and sugar to taste.
• Do not season heavy with salt or garlic, and especially not with the sugar, as you do not want it to be sweet.
• FOR THE DOUGH: Place the flour into a mixing bowl.
• Mix a little less than 1/2 cup peanut oil and save remaining oil.
• Add 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and just enough water to make the dough.
• Roll out the dough as thin as possible, being careful not to create holes in the dough.
• Cut dough into 4 to 5 inch strips and then into 4 to 5 inch squares.
• ASSEMBLY: Fill each square with a heaping tablespoon or more of the potato mixture and then with wet fingers, fold in the corners & pinch and seal closed.
• Gently press to form patties, but do not squash too thin.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Lay out the knishes onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Brush top of each of the knishes with peanut oil.
• Keep checking, as often as you desire, to make sure they only become an almost golden color and not burnt.
• With a spatula, turn the knishes over, brush on peanut oil again, and continue baking until almost golden in color.
• You can refrigerate and reheat in either the oven or wrapped with paper towel and reheated in the microwave.
• You can also double or triple the recipe and place knishes into tightly closed Tupperware containers and freeze until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, remove from freezer, defrost and reheat as described.