Knishes The Old Fashion Way Recipes

SARAH'S KNISH

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.

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.

POTATO-KASHA KNISHES

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.

NATALIE POWELL'S KNISHES

Steps:

• Dissolve chicken bouillon in 1 tablespoon water.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions in hot butter until soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
• 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 and return potatoes to pot.
• Mash potatoes, onion mixture, 1 egg, garlic, chicken bouillon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper together until potatoes are smooth.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl; make a well in the center. Stir oil and 2 eggs into flour mixture. Add 3/4 cup water and beat until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 5 balls.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• Roll 1 dough ball out on a lightly floured surface into a very thin rectangle. Brush surface of the dough with oil. Place about 5 spoonfuls of the potato mixture in a line on the dough about 2 inches from the long edge. Roll dough around filling. Pinch one end of the roll. Use the edge of your hand to cut dough roll into 5 knishes and pinch the edges of each. Repeat for remaining dough balls and potato filling. Place knishes on prepared baking sheet and brush each knish with oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and dough is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

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.